Strikeouts : 1996 American 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:

"The key for this year was staying healthy, playing 154 games (his biggest goal was to play 162 games). When I'm healthy, I'm can put up the best numbers I can." - Juan Gonzalez (1999)
 

1996 Strikeouts Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Roger Clemens 257 Boston Red Sox 1
Chuck Finley 215 California Angels 2
Kevin Appier 207 Kansas City Royals 3
Mike Mussina 204 Baltimore Orioles 4
Alex Fernandez 200 Chicago White Sox 5
Wilson Alvarez 181 Chicago White Sox 6
Pat Hentgen 177 Toronto Blue Jays 7
Tom Gordon 171 Boston Red Sox 8
Ken Hill 170 Texas Rangers 9
Charles Nagy 167 Cleveland Indians 10
Juan Guzman 165 Toronto Blue Jays 11
Andy Pettitte 162 New York Yankees 12
Bobby Witt 157 Texas Rangers 13
Erik Hanson 156 Toronto Blue Jays 14
Kevin Tapani 150 Chicago White Sox 15
Brad Radke 148 Minnesota Twins 16
Ben McDonald 146 Milwaukee Brewers 17
Jack McDowell 141 Cleveland Indians 18
Tim Wakefield 140 Boston Red Sox 19
Aaron Sele 137 Boston Red Sox 20
Shawn Boskie 133 California Angels 21
Sterling Hitchcock 132 Seattle Mariners 22
Mariano Rivera 130 New York Yankees 23
David Wells 130 Baltimore Orioles  
James Baldwin 127 Chicago White Sox 25



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

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 most recognizable Detroit Tiger to wear the number twenty-five was probably Norm Cash (who wore it from 1960 through 1974), but did you know that Hall of Famer Larry Doby also wore it during his single season with Detroit?