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Shohei Ohtani has been called a once in a century baseball player because the 29-year-old is a rare two-way player, dominating as a pitcher and a hitter. He signed a league-record $700 million contract in the offseason to become a Los Angeles Dodger.
Three-time National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is 56 strikeouts from reaching 3,000 for his career, which he has spent with the Dodgers. He would be just the 20th pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters and the third to reach the milestone while playing for only one team. The left-hander had surgery in the offseason so keep an eye on when he’ll return to the mound.
Zack Greinke is another active pitcher on the 3,000-strikeout watch list. The American League Cy Young Award winner has struck out 2,979 batters. He’s a free agent and hasn’t yet come to terms with a team for 2024 at our press deadline.
Two active pitchers have hit the 3,000 strikeout mark and are a good bet to watch on the mound: Max Scherzer of the Texas Rangers and Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros. They are two of only four pitchers in Major League history to win multiple World Series championships, receive multiple Cy Young Awards, throw multiple no- hitters and earn multiple All-Star selections. Both are entering the 2024 season recovering from injuries but should be in the rotation soon.
If it’s hitting you’re interested in seeing, among the best still swinging is Mike Trout, center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels. He’s an 11-time MLB All-Star, three- time American League Most Valuable Player, nine-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award and considered a future Hall of Famer.
Pick an MLB special event
In addition to flying to see a game at one of the above stadiums, here are several special dates on the 2024 MLB schedule to consider.
June 20: MLB at Rickwood Field is a special regular season game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants. It is part of Juneteenth celebrations and happens at the country’s oldest professional baseball park, Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, the former home of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues.
July 12-16: The 94th MLB All-Star Game and festivities are at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Aug. 18: The MLB Little League Classic features the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers playing at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in the evening, after Little League World Series games during the day.
Late October: MLB World Series KA
APRIL 2024
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 11