In the midst of the NBA playoffs, the Kentucky Derby, the Bloom (look it up), May the Fourth, and Cinco de Mayo, we have this: Stephen Strasburg of my hometown Washington Nationals recorded his 1,500th career strikeout (in a victory last night), reaching the milestone faster than any pitcher in the history of the game.

Strasburg recorded K number 1,500 in inning number 1,272, 18 fewer than previous record holder Chris Sale. The top five fastest, incidentally, all pitched in this century, when pitchers log far fewer innings than in previous eras. (I’m pretty sure Cy Young pitched 1,200 innings in a single season once.) Still, a record is a record, and 1,500 strikeouts is 1,500 strikeouts.

Though for a little perspective, to match Nolan Ryan’s career total (5,714), Stras would have to pitch at this rate until he’s 52.