A strikeout is when the batter piles up three strikes and is out. It’s the most emphatic way a pitcher beats a hitter: he eliminates him without the defense doing a thing.
The famous «K»
In the scorebook, a strikeout is marked with a K. If the batter went down swinging, the K is normal; if he took a called third strike without swinging, it’s scored as a backwards K. That’s why you see fans hanging K signs when their pitcher is dealing.
The strikeout era
Today’s game has more strikeouts than ever: pitchers throw harder and with more movement. The all-time leader is Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 strikeouts in his career, a mark that will likely never fall.
FAQ
How many strikes is a strikeout?
Three.
Why the backwards K?
It means the batter struck out looking, without swinging at the third strike.
