Who holds the strikeout record for the New York Yankees?

The New York Yankees have a long, storied past. Players who have played for them include great names like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Don Mattingly, and Aaron Judge.

But pitching has been just as important for the Bronx Bombers over their 120-year history. Today, we are going to look at the pitchers who have garnered the most strikeouts in a Yankees uniform.

"Teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera on Derek Jeter:" - @ New York Yankees

When thinking about Yankees pitchers with a lot of strikeouts, many will point to Mariano Rivera. Rivera played on the Yankees from 1995 to 2013, primarily as a closer. In that time, he registered 652 saves, setting an MLB record. Rivera, however, struck out 1,173 batters, putting him in ninth place in Yankees history when it comes to strikeouts.

Others might consider the big man, CC Sabathia, who played on the New York Yankees from 2009 to 2019. Sabathia was one of the top starters of the decade. He registered 1,700 strikeouts with the Yankees in his time there. Although he came close to setting the franchise record, Sabathia retired at number 4 all-time on the Yankees strikeout leaderboard.

Older Yankees fans will remember pitcher Whitey Ford. He pitched for the Yankees from 1950 to 1967, registering over 200 wins and 1,956 strikeouts. Ford won the 1961 Cy Young after pitching a league-leading 283 innings over 28 games. With nearly 2,000 career strikeouts in the pinstripes, Ford is second on the list of all-time strikeouts by a Yankees player.

"Has there been a more intimidating Yankee pitcher than Andy Pettitte?" - @ Fireside Yankees

If you haven't guessed yet, Andy Pettitte holds the record for the most strikeouts as a member of the Yankees. Pettitte played for the Yankees from 1995 to 2013, spending his entire career there, winning five World Series rings. Pettitte struck out 2,448 batters in his time there, placing him first on the list of franchise strikeout leaders.

New York Yankees remain one of the best pitching teams in 2023

Heading into the 2023 season, the Yankees boast Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes, along with the addition of Carlos Rodon. This rotation makes them one of the best in the MLB. They are right up there with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros. The team is staying true to their tradition of exquisite pitching.