<P> In baseball , a strikeout occurs when a pitcher throws three strikes to a batter during his time at bat . Twenty different pitchers have struck out at least 18 batters in a single nine - inning Major League Baseball ( MLB ) game as of 2016 , the most recent being Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals on May 11 , 2016 . Four players have accomplished the feat more than once in their career ; no player has ever struck out more than 20 batters in a nine - inning game . ( Tom Cheney struckout 21 in a 16 - inning game . ) Charlie Sweeney was the first player to strike out 18 batters in a single game , doing so for the Providence Grays against the Boston Beaneaters on June 7 , 1884 . In spite of this , Bob Feller is viewed as the first pitcher to accomplish the feat , since his then - record 18 strikeouts was the first to occur during the 20th century and the live - ball era . </P>
<P> In baseball , a strikeout occurs when a pitcher throws three strikes to a batter during his time at bat . Twenty different pitchers have struck out at least 18 batters in a single nine - inning Major League Baseball ( MLB ) game as of 2016 , the most recent being Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals on May 11 , 2016 . Four players have accomplished the feat more than once in their career ; no player has ever struck out more than 20 batters in a nine - inning game . ( Tom Cheney struckout 21 in a 16 - inning game . ) Charlie Sweeney was the first player to strike out 18 batters in a single game , doing so for the Providence Grays against the Boston Beaneaters on June 7 , 1884 . In spite of this , Bob Feller is viewed as the first pitcher to accomplish the feat , since his then - record 18 strikeouts was the first to occur during the 20th century and the live - ball era . </P>
what 's the most strikeouts in a mlb game
what 's the most strikeouts in a mlb game
21 in a 16 - inning game
21 in a 16 - inning game