Michael Wacha reached 1,500 career strikeouts on June 27, 2026, becoming the latest pitcher to cross that threshold in a major league career that now spans 14 seasons.
Wacha began his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, appearing in games across seven seasons from 2013 through 2019. He then moved to the New York Mets in 2020, the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, the Boston Red Sox in 2022, and the San Diego Padres in 2023, before joining the Kansas City Royals in 2024 — where he has remained through the 2026 season.
Across his MLB career as a whole, Wacha has compiled a 116-80 record with a 3.85 ERA over 326 appearances, logging 1,736.0 innings pitched and 1,500 strikeouts — figures that span seven organizations.
Through 16 starts in the 2026 season, Wacha has posted a 5-5 record with a 3.48 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 77 strikeouts over 101.0 innings pitched. The 1,500-strikeout milestone marks 14 seasons of major league service across seven organizations for the right-hander, who debuted in 2013.