Strikeouts : 1974 National League Top 25

Finding the American or National League leader in virtually every hitting & pitching statistic is easy-to-do. Finding the top 25 players during any given season is far more challenging. Baseball Almanac has taken away that difficult problem and is pleased to present the data you requested:

"Over 162 games, if my big guys are hitting and we get even halfway decent pitching, we'll beat their (our opponents) brains out." - Cincinnati Reds' Manager Sparky Anderson
 

1974 Strikeouts Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Steve Carlton 240 Philadelphia Phillies 1
Andy Messersmith 221 Los Angeles Dodgers 2
Tom Seaver 201 New York Mets 3
Jon Matlack 195 New York Mets 4
Phil Niekro 195 Atlanta Braves  
Bill Bonham 191 Chicago Cubs 6
Jerry Koosman 188 New York Mets 7
Don Gullett 183 Cincinnati Reds 8
Don Sutton 179 Los Angeles Dodgers 9
John D'Acquisto 167 San Francisco Giants 10
Clay Kirby 160 Cincinnati Reds 11
Rick Reuschel 160 Chicago Cubs  
Steve Rogers 154 Montreal Expos 13
Dick Ruthven 153 Philadelphia Phillies 14
Larry Dierker 150 Houston Astros 15
Mike Marshall 143 Los Angeles Dodgers 16
Lynn McGlothen 142 St. Louis Cardinals 17
Fred Norman 141 Cincinnati Reds 18
Jim Rooker 139 Pittsburgh Pirates 19
Steve Renko 138 Montreal Expos 20
Buzz Capra 137 Atlanta Braves 21
Bill Greif 137 San Diego Padres  
Dave Freisleben 130 San Diego Padres 23
Bob Gibson 129 St. Louis Cardinals 24
Doug Rau 126 Los Angeles Dodgers 25



Future Hall of Famer Sammy Sosa is best known for wearing number twenty-one; however, when the young slugger played for the Chicago White Sox (1989-1991) he only wore number twenty-five.

The first player from the Angels franchise (they were the California Angels at the time) to wear the number twenty-five was Bob Perry.

Did you know that more than forty players have worn the number twenty-five for the Boston Red Sox — including Jack Clark, Denny Galehouse, Dizzy Trout and Tony Conigliaro.