Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer moved into 10th place on the career strikeout list and the most among active pitchers with 3,400, fanning a season-high nine for the Texas Rangers on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox.

“When you’re talking about a milestone like this ... this is all about durability. This is about being year-in, year-out healthy,” Scherzer said.

Scherzer passed fellow three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander with his third of the game, and 3,394th of his career, after Eloy Jiménez took a 93.3-mph fastball for a called third strike in the second inning. Scherzer had matched his former teammate with his second strikeout, when Andrew Vaughn swung and missed an 83.8 mph slider for the final out of the first.

“Pretty incredible. I mean, you look at his career, being in the top 10, that’s pretty special,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said before the game. “This game has been going on for a long time ... and he’s one of the best pitchers in the game. And the numbers show that.”

Two days before his 40th birthday, Scherzer threw 62 of 85 pitches for strikes in his 464th career game over 17 big league seasons. He allowed one run and walked one while pitching three-hit ball over six innings.

He has also played for Arizona, Detroit, Washington, the Dodgers and New York Mets. He was part of World Series titles with the Nationals in 2019 and the Rangers last season.

The 41-year-old Verlander, now with Houston, and Scherzer were teammates with the Tigers from 2010-14, during a span when both won baseball’s top pitching award. Scherzer was the Cy Young winner in 2013, and then again in 2016 and 2017 with the Washington Nationals. Verlander won that award in 2011, and in 2019 and 2022 with the Astros.

Verlander hasn’t pitched for the Astros since June 9 because of neck stiffness that caused him to go on the injured list. His 519 starts are the most among active pitchers, while Scherzer is second at 455 in two fewer seasons.

It was only Scherzer’s seventh start since offseason back surgery. He exited Saturday against Baltimore after two innings and 53 pitches because of arm fatigue.

Natural hitter

Luis Rengifo impressed Angels manager Ron Washington by getting a hit Tuesday night, in his first game after missing three weeks with wrist inflammation. Rengifo did not play any minor league games before returning.

“You can see right now he’s one of those guys, on Christmas Day with snow outside you bring him outside and throw a pitch to him and hell get a base hit,” Washington said. “Ever since he got hurt, he’s been working.”

Renfifo went 1 for 4 with 2 RBI as the DH in Tuesday’s 5-1 win in Seattle. He went 0 for 4 playing third base in Wednesday’s 2-1 victory that swept the series. In that win, Brandon Drury drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the eighth inning for the Angels. The struggling Mariners were booed by fans after losing for the eighth time in nine games and for the 20th time in 29 games, slipping to 53-51 overall. Despite its extended troubles, Seattle is a game behind first-place Houston (53-49) in the AL West.

Bradley’s streak

Taj Bradley extended his scoreless streak to 23 innings in winning his fifth straight decision, Brandon Lowe homered into the upper deck and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 13-0 on Thursday.

Isaac Paredes had four RBIs and Alex Jackson drove in three as the Rays set a season high in runs and won for the 18th time in 30 games.

Bradley (6-4) allowed two hits in six innings, struck out seven and walked one, improving to 5-1 with a 0.82 ERA in his past nine starts.

Dodgers signings

After being released by the San Francisco Giants two weeks ago, Nick Ahmed wasn’t sure when, or even if, he would see his former teammates again.

But there he was Wednesday, playing shortstop against the very team that dropped him after 52 games. The Dodgers signed the veteran infielder just hours before the team was set to face the Giants in the third game of a four-game series, leaving him little time to adjust to his new surroundings.

Ahmed, 34, was signed as a replacement for starter Miguel Rojas, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with tightness in his right forearm retroactive to July 22. Rojas was removed early from Sunday’s game.

Ahmed said he was back home in Arizona when the Dodgers called Tuesday night.

• The Dodgers have agreed to terms on a contract with their first-round pick in this year’s draft, infielder Kellon Lindsey. Lindsey was committed to the University of Florida but indicated on draft night that he preferred to sign with the Dodgers and start his professional career.

Lindsey agreed to a $3.3 million deal, the second-highest bonus the Dodgers have given to a draftee (behind the $5.25 million bonus they gave to Zach Lee in 2010), but it is slightly below the slot bonus for the 23rd overall pick ($3.6 million).

The Dodgers also reportedly signed their ninth- and 10th-round picks (outfielder Kole Myers and right-hander Seamus Barrett). Both were college seniors.

— Janis Carr, Bill Plunkett