It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.

Special thanks to reader Dean Mauro for asking a question in response to last week’s Tidbit on players who had the longest careers without ever getting hit by a pitch (Mark Lemke – 1,069 games) and sending me on another statistical adventure.  Dean asked “Has there ever been player who was hit by a pitch in his only major league plate appearance?”   Just the kind of question the RoundTable loves to explore.  (Dang, I wish I’d have thought of it myself.)  It sent me off on a journey that took me to players like Charles Victor (Victory) Faust, who made his mark as an eccentric/erratic good luck charm and has a unique tie to Rube Marquard; Cy Malis, who appeared in movies with the likes of Gregory Peck, Lucille Ball, John Wayne and Cary Grant; and Fred Van Dusen, who jumped to the major leagues at age 18.

Now, at first I thought I might have a unicorn here, but it turns out a half dozen players (from 1911 to 2006) have been plunked in their one and only MLB plate appearance.

Here’s the obligatory chart, followed a bit about each of the qualifiers – with quite a bit on the unusual life and times of Charlie Faust.

Abraham Lincoln “Ham” Wade – Giants, September 9, 1907

Ham Wade, an outfielder, played in just one MLB game. (He hit .239 in 357 minor-league contests in four minor-league seasons, during which he pitched and played outfield.)  In his lone MLB game, Wade came in as a late-inning replacement for Giants’ starting LF Spike Shannon in a 10-0 loss to the Boston Doves.  A noted, he got just one plate appearance, got plunked (by Doves’ righty Vive Lindaman) and never came to the plate in an MLB game again. Wade also recorded two putouts as an outfielder in his one and only major-league contest. The hit by pitch was probably no surprise, as Lindaman tied for second with 15 HBPs in 1907.

 

Charlie “Victory” Faust — Giants, October 12, 1911

Photo: http://davyjonesbats.com/about-us/memorials, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Charlie Faust is probably the most renowned player on this list – known for his status as a good luck charm, rather than his talents as a ballplayer. His story is one of legend, bordering on myth. And, while the details of its telling are sometimes slightly different, there is enough consistency to validate Faust’s place in MLB history.  My sources for the Faust story are listed under “Primary Resources” at the end of this post; but special recognition goes out to Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) members Thomas S. Busch and Gabriel Schechter, whose work supplied much of the foundation for this Faust-ian tale.   What follows are the most consistently recounted details of his career.

 In 1911, the 30-year-old Faust, who was not a ballplayer at the time, was told by a fortune teller at a country fair that he would pitch the New York Giants to a championship, meet and marry a girl named Lulu and father a future generation of baseball stars.  So, Faust traveled from Marion, Kansas to St. Louis, Missouri (where the third-place Giants were facing the Cardinals) in mid-summer, introduced himself to Giants’ manager John McGraw in a hotel lobby and told him of his predicted destiny.   Perhaps impressed by Faust’s commitment and  enthusiasm, swayed by his own superstitions or merely because McGraw had a sense of humor, the Giants’ placated Faust, inviting him to an on-field tryout before that afternoon’s (July 28) game.  The eccentric Faust showed up in a “Sunday” suit, dress shoes and derby hat. McGraw sent Faust to the mound to display his stuff (or lack thereof) and then sent him to the plate, with instructions to run out anything he hit.  Faust dribbled an easy grounder to short, but the players – essentially “playing along” with the situation, kept mishandling the ball as Faust awkwardly rounded the bases (reportedly having to slide into more than one – again, still in his Sunday suit – before reaching home plate). The crowd and players, it was reported, loved Faust’s stumbling performance.  Faust, however, was not yet established as a good luck charm.  The Giants lost 5-2.

 When the determined and enthusiastic Faust – still convinced of his foretold destiny to lead the Giants to a championship –   showed up the next day, he was outfitted with an ill-fitting uniform, seriously repeated his pregame antics (to the joy of the fans and players alike) and the Giants won the game 8-0.  The next two games, again with Faust in uniform, were won by the Giants 6-0 and 3-2.

 Then the team left for Pittsburgh – without a disappointed Faust – and fell into a slump, going 2-4 in Pittsburgh and Chicago.   (Reportedly, when Faust showed up at the train station, he was told his ticket must have been left at the hotel and, while he was dashing back to the hotel to retrieve the non-existent ticket, the team left without him.)  

Undaunted, and still convinced of his destiny (and apparently short on cash), Faust made his way from St, Louis to New York by hopping freight trains – and a disheveled Faust was waiting for McGraw and the Giants when they returned to the Polo Grounds. McGraw relented and let Faust continue his pre-game “entertainment,” as well as take a spot on the bench during games. The Giants won nine of their next eleven and the die was cast, with the team (somewhere along the way) issuing a uniform, giving Faust a spot on the bench (and even sending him to the bullpen on occasion) and taking him on the road.

Faust became sort of a mascot, pre-game entertainer and good luck charm, shagging flies in warmups, occasionally pitching batting practice and cheering on his teammates during the games. However, he still maintained that his destiny was to pitch the Giants to a championship.   Finally on October 7, with the pennant already clinched, McGraw relented and put Faust into a game. He pitched the final inning of a 5-2 loss to Boston – giving up one earned run.  Five days later, Faust made his second and final MLB appearance, pitching one scoreless inning (the ninth) in a 5-2 loss to the Dodgers. In this one, he made his only MLB plate appearance, reached base on a Hit By Pitch, stole second and third (apparently with the visiting Brooklyn squad “playing along” with the Faust experience) and scored on a sacrifice fly. 

Backtracking a bit, Faust’s reputation as either a good luck charm for the Giants or a bench-bound jinx for opponents (which grew with each New York win) got a boost, when the now very popular (almost folk hero) New York benchwarmer left the team to take on a vaudeville engagement.  The Giants lost the first three games they played during Faust’s foray into show business – and Faust quickly returned to the team (which won the first ten games after his return.).

Was the eccentric (maybe even erratic) Faust really a good luck charm? As Gabriel Schechter reported in his SABR bio of Faust “From the day he (Faust) met McGraw in St. Louis to the day the Giants clinched the pennant, the team had a record of 39-9. When he was in uniform and exerting his jinxing powers, their record as an astonishing n 36-2.” Unfortunately, Faust’s mojo did not work as well in the World Series, which the Giants lost to the Athletics Four Games to two.  When the Giants lost the World Series, his good luck charm status faded a bit and, perhaps the novelty was wearing off.

In 1912, McGraw, kept Faust on the bench, but reportedly did not allow him to don a Giants uniform and the team no longer paid his expense on road trips.  Faust, still convinced of, even obsessed with, the belief that his destiny was as a pitcher, responded by repeatedly asking the league to force McGraw to reinstate him.  The rift was widening. Still, Faust hung in there and the Giants got off to a blazing start, going 54-11 over the first 65 games (through July 3). Still, Faust’s constant, vigorous and unbending insistence that he was a pitcher who belonged on the mound pitching the Giants to a championship was apparently getting on McGraw nerves (and likely causing clubhouse tension). While considerable efforts to convince Faust to voluntarily leave the team were not successful, a bit of deception got him to depart (he thought temporarily) in early July. The players convinced Faust he should go back to Kansas and, when his absence made it clear to McGraw how important he was, a victorious recall would be in the offing. The recall never came. Note: I wasn’t able to pinpoint the date Faust left the team, but after going 54-11, with a 16 ½ game lead over the second-place Cubs through July 3, the club went 49-37 (with the lead dwindling to 10 games) over the remained of the season. Going back to Schechter’s article, he tells us Giants’ pitcher Rube “Marquard won his first 19 decisions in 1912; in the week after Faust’s departure, he lost three times, and he was a sub-.500 pitcher the rest of the season.”   For the sake of timing Faust’s departure, Marquard was 19-0 on July 3 and lost three games between July 7 and 14.

In the end, Giants won the pennant, but lost the World Series to the Red Sox in seven games.

While Faust was out of baseball in 1913, he continued to pursue reinstatement to the Giants and fulfillment of his destiny (some reports indicate he also wanted back pay for his contributions to the Giants’ two pennants.)  By 1914, he had been diagnosed with dementia, spent time institutionalized and he died in June 1915 (tuberculosis) at Western State Hospital (near Tacoma).

 But no matter the final outcome, you can – as they say – look it up, Charlie Faust was a major leaguer.  You’ll also find his name – along with such luminaries as Bob Feller, Catfish Hunter, Al Kaline, Harmons Killebrew and Dave Winfield – among those who bypassed the minor leagues and went directly to the majors.

 

Now back to the rest of the One Plate Appearance – One Hit By Pitch Club.

Harvey Grubb – Naps, September 27, 1912

Harvey Grubb came into the game at third base in the top of the seventh inning (replacing Terry Turner). At the time, his Naps were leading the Tigers 14-5 (in Cleveland). He immediately saw action in his first (and only) MLB game, as the immortal Ty Cobb led off the inning and popped out to Grubb. Grubb came to the plate in the bottom of the frame with one runner (Ray Chapman) on base and one out.  Grubb was hit by a pitch from Charlie Wheatley, sending Chapman to second. Grubb finished the game (won by the Naps 16-5), but did not come to the plate again and did not get another fielding chance. Grubb’s lone plate appearance came in his fourth professional season. He took the field in a total of 15 minor-league campaigns.

Cy Malis – Phillies, August 17, 1934

Cy Mallis was a right-handed pitcher whose only MLB game – and only MLB plate appearance – came in a 12-2 Phillies’ loss to the Cardinals.  Malis came on with one out in the bottom of the fifth, with his Phillies trailing 7-2, Cardinal runners on second and third and one out.  He gave up a two-run double to the first batter he faced (Ripper Collins) – and went on to pitch 3 2/3 innings, giving up two of his own runs on four hits and two walks (one strikeout). Malis came to the plate leading off the top of the seventh and was hit by a pitch from Paul “Daffy” Dean.

Malis played several seasons of semi-pro ball and information about his professional minor-league experience is sketchy.  However, an article by baseball historian, artist and writer Gary Joseph Cieradkowski indicates he played in the minor-leagues at least in 1927, 1928, 1929, 1935; was a World War II Navy veteran; and built a successful career as an actor (working in movies with the likes of Gregory Peck, Lucille Ball, Cary Grant and John Wayne). A Naval training accident and subsequent treatment for pain (morphine) led to drug and alcohol dependence issues and, ultimately, Malis was among a small group that laid the foundation for Narcotics Anonymous. He also also spurred efforts to build prison-based addiction-treatment programs. I include that here to explain why, in the Primary Resources section, the title for Cieradkowki’s article on Malis is “Cy Malis: The Best Friend We Dope Fiends Have.”

Fred Van Dusen – Phillies, September 11, 1955

And outfielder by trade, Fred Van Dusen’s only taste of the major-leagues came as a pinch hitter – at the tender age of 18.

A highly rated prospect, Van Dusen was signed out OF Bryant High School in Altoona New York, under the “Bonus Baby” rule that existed from 1947-1958 and 1962-65 (before the establishment of the MLB draft). At the time of Van Dusen’s signing a team that signed a player to a contract in excess of $4,000 was required to keep that player on the 25-man roster for two seasons (or expose the player to the Waiver Wire.)  Side note:  Included among past Bonus Babies are: Harmon Killebrew, Roberto Clemente, Sandy Koufax and Catfish Hunter.

In his only MLB appearance (also his first professional plate appearance), Van Dusen came to the plate (pinch hitting for pitcher Lynn Lovenguth) in the top of the ninth inning, with his Phillies’ trailing the Braves (in Milwaukee) 9-1, with one out and one runner on base. Van Dusen was hit by a pitch from Humberto Robinson.  The next two batters went strikeout/flyout, VanDusen was stranded and his MLB career was over.

VanDusen went on to play in six minor-league seasons, going .260-86-350 in 650 games. His best season was in 1957 (his age-19 season), when he went .310-25-93 in 119 games for the Class-B High-Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms (not exactly a creative team moniker).

John Rheinecker – Giants, June 28, 2006

John Rheinecker appeared in the most MLB games of all the players on this list. He secured his spot largely due a combination of the Designated Hitter Rule and interleague play.  A left-handed pitcher, Rheinecker pitched in the major leagues, for the Texas Rangers, in 2006-2007, putting up an 8-9, 5.65 record in 44 appearances (20 starts).  He was in his sixth professional season and first MLB season when he made his one and only plate appearance. At the time, the Designated Hitter rule was in place in the American League only and Rheinecker, in his seventh career MLB appearance, was starting on the mound against the NL Giants in San Francisco, taking the ninth spot in the batting order. Rheinecker found himself at the plate leading off the top of the third inning of a scoreless game. He was plunked on an 0-1 pitch from Noah Lowry, but left stranded. In the top of the fifth, with his Rangers trailing 5-0, Rheinecker was pinch hit for (by Jason Botts) and his game (and his MLB career as a hitter) were over.

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; Cy Malis: The Best Friend We Dope Fiends Have, by Gary Joseph Cieradkowski; Charlie Faust, Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) bio, by Gabriel Schechter; Searching for Victory: The Story of Charles Victor(y) Faust, by Thomas S. Busch, 1983 Baseball Research Journal; Destined by a Fortune Teller: Charlie Faust’s Kansas Roots and the Magic That changed the Giants, The Pechko Perspective (the-pechko-perspective.com), June 14, 2025; Farewell: What’s Left of Charlie Faust, FoxSports.com, March 4, 2020.

 

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P 1147

It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.  This week we are focusing on hit-by-pitch – or, more accurately “missed-by-pitch.

When it comes to “taking one for the team,” nobody did it more often in the major leagues than infielder Hughie Jennings, who was hit by a pitch an MLB-record 287 times in his 18-season major-league career (1891-1903, 1907, 1909-10, 1912, 1918 … AA/NL Louisville Colonels, NL Baltimore Orioles, Brooklyn Superbas, Phillies, Tigers). He took those 287 “hits” over 1,284 games/5,648 plate appearances.  For those who like to know such things, Hall of Famer Jennings was a career .312 hitter, with 18 home runs, 849 RBI and 992 runs scored. He led the league in HBP five times, including a still MLB-record 51 in 1896.

Craig Biggio, while he played quite a few more games, was just a bit behind Jennings at 285 HBP.  He took his “hits” over 2,850 games/12,504 plate appearances. Biggio, also a Hall of Famer, played in 20 MLB seasons (1988-2007 … Astros). His final stat line was .281-291-1,175, with 1,844 runs and 414 steals. (He also had 3,060 hits, 26th all-time.) Biggio led the league in HBP five times, with a high of 34 in 1997.

But getting hit by a pitch is not what this Tidbit is about. It’s about the other side of that coin, with a main focus on infielder Mark Lemke, who holds the MLB record for career (regular season) plate appearances without ever being nicked by a pitch (3,664 plate appearances over 1069 games in 11 MLB seasons).  Note: He also had 257 post-season plate appearances without “taking a hit.”\

Lemke played in 11 MLB seasons (1988-1998 … all for the Braves, except 1998 with the Red Sox).  The switch-hitting 2B/3B went .246-32-270, with 349 runs scored over his career.  His best season was 1994, when he went .294-3-31 in 104 games. It was the only season in his career when he hit above .255.  Another “one thing leads to another” from the Roundtable: In 2,209 minor-league plate appearances, Lemke was hit by a pitch 23 times.,

Bill Bergen was a right-handed hitting catcher known for his defensive skills. He played in 11 MLB seasons (1901-1911 … Reds, Dodgers). His career stats were .170-2-193, with 138 runs scored and 23 steals in 947 games. He hit .200 or better in just one season (1903), when he went .227-0-19 in 58 games.

Mickey Witek was a right-handed hitting utility infielder who played in seven MLB seasons (1949-43, 1946-47, 1949 … Giants, Yankees), going .277-22-196, with 239 runs scored in 581 games.  His best season was 1943, when he hit .314-6-55, with 68 runs scored for the Giants. All but one of Witek’s MLB at bats were as a New York Giant.  He also had one at bat (and one hit) as a Yankee 1949).

Herm Winningham was a left-handed hitting outfielder over nine MLB seasons (1984-93 … Mets, Expos, Reds, Red Sox), going .239-19-147, with 212 runs scored and 105 steals. His best season was 1987 (Expos) when he hit .239 and set career highs in home runs (4), RBI (41), hits (83), doubles (20) and stolen bases (29).

A few more HBP tidbits:

• Only two players have been HBP at least 50 times in a season: Hughie Jennings (51 with the 1896 NL Orioles) and Ron Hunt (50 with the 1971 Expos).
• Ron Hunt led the league in a record seven consecutive seasons – for three different teams (Expos, Giants, Cardinals).
• Minnie Minoso led the league in HBP a record ten times – all for the white Sox (1952-54; 1956-1961). His consecutive seasons of leadership were interrupted in 1955 by teammate Nellie Fox.
• The record for getting hit by a pitch in a game is three – shared by 34 players. The only players to be plunked three times in a game more than once are Reed Johnson (three times); Jurickson Profar (twice). Frank Chance (twice); Damion Easley (twice); Brandon Guyer (twice).

Primary Resources: Sports-Reference.com; Baseball Almanac.com

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT. Follow me there for post notifications and links.

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1146

It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.

This week, for some reason, I found myself noodling around in Most Valuable Player trivia … everything from the positions most and least represented among MVP winners to players to win MVP Awards at different primary positions to MVP winners who did not make that season’s All Star Game (and the players who started the ASG at their positions).

So, let’s get started.

Most MVP Awards by Primary Position

First basemen have garnered the most MVP Awards at 37.  At the other end of the spectrum relief pitchers and designated hitters have taken home the fewest MVP Awards (four each).

Relievers and Designated Hitters

Going a little deeper into DH and reliever MVP’s, Shohei Ohtani is the only DH to win an MVP Award – and he won all four MVP recognitions awarded (to date) to designated hitters.  It is the only position at which one player is the only player to been recognized as a league MVP while playing primarily at that position.  (In baseball, we do love “qualifiers.”)

Shohei Ohtani also qualifies as a “unicorn.” He is the only player to be unanimously selected as a league MVP more than once – and he has earned that status three times (2023, 2024, 2025.) Ohtani has a total of four MVP Awards on his current MLB resume. Ohtani, of course, is a special case. While, in each of his MVP seasons, he played the bulk of his games at DH, he also was recognized for notable contributions as a pitcher in two of them.

As noted earlier, a relief pitcher has been declared MVP just four times.  The first relief pitcher to win an MVP Award was Jim Konstanty of the 1950 Phillies. (In fact, it would be 31 years before a second reliever would win an MVP Award and Konstanty is still the only National League pitcher (unicorn alert) to win MVP recognition.

By today standards, Konstanty’s was an unusual season for a reliever.  In his age-33 campaign, he went 16-7, 2.66, with an NL-best 22 saves (recognized retroactively, saves were not an official stat at the time) in a league-leading 74 appearances (no starts).  Over the course of the season, he made 17 appearances of three innings or more, including one of ten innings (innings nine through 18 of a 19-inning 8-7 win over the Reds on September 15) and one of nine frames (the final nine innings of a 15-inning 9-7 win over the Pirates on August 25).  Notably, at least for the Roundtable, Konstanty was not an “overpowering” pitcher, but relied on his study of hitters’ strengths and weaknesses, solid control and effective off-speed pitches (particularly his palm ball). That season, in 152 innings pitched, he struck out only 56 batters (while walking 50).  Konstanty pitched in 11 MLB seasons (1944, 1946, 1948-56), going 66-48, 3.46 with 76 saves in 433 appearances (36 starts). His MVP season was his only All Star year.

Other relief pitchers to earn MVP Awards (all American League) are: Rollie Fingers, 1981 Brewers (6-3, 1.04, with a league-leading 28 saves); Willie Hernandez, 1984 Tigers (9-3, 1.92, with 32 saves); and Dennis Eckersley, 1992 Athletics (7-1. 1.01 with a league-topping 51 saves).

Sure, I’ll Make a Move

Five players have won league MVP Awards at multiple positions:

• Aaron Judge as a center fielder in 2022 and 2024 and as a right fielder in 2025;
• Alex Rodriguez as a SS in 2003 and as a third baseman in 2005 and 2007;
• Robin Yount as a shortstop in 1982 and as a center fielder in 1989;
• Stan Musial as a right fielder in 1943 and 1948 and as a first baseman in 1946;
• Hank Greenberg as a first baseman in 1935 and as a left fielder in 1940.

Let’s Get This Party Started!

Fred Lynn and Ichiro Suzuki are the only players to win the MVP Award in their Rookie season (and by default also the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season.

Lucky Seven

The Giant’ Barry Bonds has the most league MVP Awards at seven (1990, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004). He also holds the record for the most consecutive MVP Awards (four). Bonds also won consecutive NL MVP awards in 1992 and 1993.

Others with consecutive MVP Awards include: Shohei Ohtani (2023-24-25); Aaron Judge (2024-25); Miguel Cabrera (2012-13); Albert Pujols (2008-09); Frank Thomas (1993-94); Dale Murphy (1982-83); Mike Schmidt (1980-81); Joe Morgan (1976-76); Roger Maris (1960-61); Ernie Banks (1958-59); Mickey Mantle (1956-57); Yogi Berra (1954-55); Hal Newhouser (1944-45); and Jimmie Foxx (1932-33).

The Young and The Old of It

Barry Bonds is the oldest player to win a league MVP Award (40-years-old). In fact, if you look at a list of eleven MVP Awards presented to players after their 35^th birthday, Bonds name comes up four times (no other name is on the list more than once.)

The youngest player to win an MVP is the Athletics’ Vida Blue, who was named AL MVP at the age of 21 – after a 20-89, 1.82 season, with 24 complete games and eight shutouts in 39 starts.

I’d Rather Have the MVP Award

Just 11 players have won a League MVP Award in a season in which they did not make the All Star Team (does not include seasons in which there was no All Star Game). Here they are, along with the player who started the All Star Game at their position.

• Hank Greenberg, 1B, Tigers, 1935 (Starter: Lou Gehrig, Yankees)
• Don Newcombe, SP, Dodgers, 1956 (Starter: Bob Friend, Pirates)
• Dave Parker, RF, Pirates, 1978 (Starter: Rick Monday, Dodgers)
• Willie Stargell, 1B, Pirates, 1979 (Starter: Steve Garvey, Dodgers)
• Kirk Gibson, LF. Dodgers, 1988 (Starter: Vince Coleman, Cardinals)
• Robin Yount, CF, Brewers, 1989 (Starter: Kirby Puckett, Twins)
• Terry Pendleton, 3B, Braves, 1991 (Starter: Chris Sabo, Reds)
• Juan Gonzalez, RF, Rangers, 1996 (Starter: Brady Anderson, Orioles)
• Chipper Jones, 3B, Braves, 1999 (Starter: Matt Williams, Diamondbacks)
• Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins, 2006 (Starter: David Ortiz, Red Sox)
• Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies, 2007 (Starter: Jose Reyes, Mets)
• Bryce Harper, RF, Phillies, 2021 (Starter: Nick Castellanos, Reds)

 

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Goldy Joins List of Oldest MVP Winners, by Sarah Langs, MLB.com; All For One; Unanimous MVP Award Winners, by Dylan Svoboda, MLB.com; Which Position Has Produced the Most MVPs?, by Thomas Harrigan, MLB.com

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1145

 

It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.  This week, I got drawn into the Web (pun intended) of Cy Young Award trivia – triggered by the Pirates’ CYA winner Paul Skenes tying for the fewest wins ever by a starting pitcher winning the CYA (in a non-shortened season) and also becoming the first starting pitcher to capture a CYA without posting more wins than losses on the season.

The Pirates’ Paul Skenes, 2024’s NL Rookie of the Year, was unanimously selected as the 2025 NL Young Award Winner – after posting a 10-10, 1.97 record.

In addition, Tarik Skubal of the Tigers won the AL CYA with a 13-6, 2.21 record.  The combined 23 wins notched by Skubal and Skenes set a new record the fewest combined wins ever by a pair of CYA winners in a (non-shortened) season. #AtBaseballRoundtableWeCountEverything.

The previous “record holders?” In 2021, CYA winners the Blue Jays’ Robbie Ray (13-7) and Brewers’ Corbin Burnes (11-5) combined for 24 wins.  And, in 2003, when the NL Cy Young Award winner Eric Gagne of the 2003 Dodgers went 2-3, 1.30 (55 saves), posted the fewest wins ever by a CYA winner and became the still-only only CYA winner who posted more losses than victories, AL winner Roy Hallady chipped in a 22-7 record to bring the combined total to 24.

Now, this post is all about starting pitchers who have won the Cy Young.  Here are a few tidbits that jumped out at me.

• From 1956 (when the CYA was first awarded) through 1980, there were 37 CYA winners – all starting pitchers and 36 (97.3%) won at least 20 games. The lone exception was Tom Seaver, who won the 1973 NL CYA with a 19-10, 2.08 record; making him, of course, the answer to the trivia question, “Who was the first pitcher to win a CYA, while winning less than 20 games in his CYA season?”
• From 1981 through 2005 (minus the shortened seasons of 1981, 1994 and 1995), another 37 CYA winners were starting pitchers and 28 (75.7%) won at least 20 games.
• From 2006 through 2025 (minus the 2020 COVID-shortened season), starting pitchers won 38 CYA’s – and just 14 of those winners (36.8%) won at least 20 games.
• In the past five seasons, (2021-25), starting pitchers have won all ten Cy Young Awards and not one of those pitchers reached 20 wins in their CYA season.

Why this change among CYA credentials? Let’s look at just a couple of factors.

Pitcher usage is one. There just aren’t that many twenty-game winners anymore, just like there aren’t that many 250+ innings pitched seasons or any double-digit complete-game campaigns. Consider, there have been only three MLB twenty-game winners in the five seasons since 2021: Spencer Strider, Braves (20-5 in 2023); Kyle Wright, Braves (20-5 in 2022); and Julio Urias, Dodgers (20-3 in 2021). By comparison, in 1956 (the year the CYA was launched), there were nine MLB 20-game winners and in the first five years of the CYA’s existence, there were 23 20-game winners. Also, In the five seasons from 1956 through 1960, there were 51 pitcher-seasons of 250 or more innings pitched. In the most recent five MLB seasons, there were zero pitcher-seasons of 250 or more innings pitched and only 24 of 200 or more innings. And, don’t get me started on complete games.

Second, a change in baseball’s statistical menu. With the lack of “big” win totals, voters are looking more toward ERA and (some would say more advanced) stats like WHIP and WAR. Skenes finished 16^th in the NL in wins, but led all MLB qualifiers in Earned Run Average (1.97) and led the NL in Walks + Hits Per Inning Pitched (0.95).  Skubal finished fifth in the AL in wins, but led the AL in ERA at (2.21) and led MLB qualifiers in WHIP at 0.89. In addition, Skubal (6.5) and Skenes (7.7) were second and third in WAR (Wins Above Replacement) for qualifying pitchers. Similarly, if you look at Jacob deGrom, who won the 2018 NL Cy Young Award with a 10-9 record, you’ll see that he finished tied for 22nd in the NL in wins, but led the NL in ERA (1.70), was second in the league in WHIP (0.912 to Max Scherzer’s 0.911) and was second in the league in WAR (9.4). Oh, and those three twenty-game winners over the past five seasons I mentioned earlier – Strider, Wright and Urias – finished fourth, tenth and seventh in NL CYA voting, respectively.  The NL CYA winners those seasons won 14, 14 and 11 games, respectively.

How About a Trivia Question for Your Friends?

Q:  There has been only one tie in the voting for the Cy Young Award. Which two pitchers tied for the CYA? Hint: American League; one righty and one lefty.

A:  In 1969, he Tigers’ Denny McLain (23-9, 2.80) and Orioles’ Mike Cueller (23-11, 2.38) each got ten out of possible 24 votes (voters cast a vote for just one pitcher). The following season, a ranked voting system was adopted.   

A few other tidbits, many of which you may already know.

• The first MLB CYA winner was the Dodgers’ Don Newcombe (27-7, 3.06 in 1956).
• Only one CYA was awarded from 1956 through 1966.
• Roger Clemens has won the most Cy Young Awards (seven) 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004. He won 20 or more games in five of those seven seasons.
• Juan Marichal had three seasons of 25 or more wins (1963, 1966 and 1968) and, in those seasons, never got a single CYA vote. He had three additional seasons of 20 or more wins and never got a CYA vote in those. The Hall of Famer and ten-time All Star, in fact, only got one CYA vote in his 16-season career and it was not a first-place vote (1971, when Marichal finished tied for eighth in the NL CYA balloting). Ironically, he received MVP votes in eight seasons.  The CYA winners Marichal lost to:  Sandy Koufax (three times), Bob Gibson, Dean Chance, Tom Seaver.
• Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux share the record for consecutive CYA seasons at four. Maddux 1992-95, Johnson 1999-2002. They each won 20 or more games in two of their four consecutive CYA campaign.

A Change of Scenery

In 1984, right-hander Rick Sutcliffe started the season 4-5, 5.15 in 15 starts for the Indians.  In mid-June, he was sent to the Cubs as part of a multi-player trade.  With the Cubs, he went 16-1, 2.69 in 20 starts – earning the NL Cy Young Award – and unicorn status as the only player to win a Cy Young Award during a season during which he was traded, as well as the only pitcher to pitch in both the NL and AL in a season in which he won a Cy Young Award. (NL CYA voters did not hold those 15 AL starts against him.) 

• Dwight Gooden, 1985 Mets, is MLB’s youngest-ever Cy Young Award winner (20 years-324 days-old at the end of the 1985 season.
• Roger Clemens, 2004 Astros) is the oldest Cy Young Award winner, 2004 Astros, 42 years/60 days old at the end of the 2004 season. Notably, 41-year-old Randy Johnson finished second and would have been the oldest CYA winner if not for Clemens. Apparently, it was an “Old Guys Rule” kind of season.
• It was 18 seasons (1986-2004) between Roger Clemens’ first and final Cy Young Awards (an MLB record).
• To date, nine relief pitchers have won a CYA (no relief pitcher is a multiple winner).

Oh, What A Relief It is.

In 1974, the Dodgers’ Mike Marshall became the first relief pitcher to win a Cy Young Award. That season, Marshall appeared in a still MLB-record 106 games (all in relief) – going 15-12, 2.42, with a league-leading 21 saves. He threw a still-record 208 1/3 innings in relief. He pitched more than one inning in 74 games and three or more innings in 22.

 

Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference.com

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT. Follow me there for post notifications and links.

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

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Regular readers know that Baseball Roundtable has a particular fondness for players that bring “lumber and leather” to their game. This post/update will focus on players who have captured what the Roundtable sees as baseball’s “Heavy Metal Doubleheader” – winning a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove in the same season.  You have to admire those players who can earn recognition as the best at their positions both defensively and offensively.

Note: The Hillerich and Bradsby Silver Slugger Awards were first presented in 1980 (the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards were launched in 1957), so the list of double winners is relatively recent (at least  “recent” as defined by someone who went to their first World Series game the year the Gold Glove Awards were initiated).

The Unicorn Season

Since the Silver Slugger Awards were established in 1980, 2023 is the only season in which there were no combination Gold Glove-Silver Slugger Award winners. 

Bobby Witt, Jr.

In 2025, for the second consecutive season, Bobby Witt, Jr., was the only MLB player to  achieve “Heavy Metal” status.  Witt won his second Silver Slugger Award and second Gold Glove (in his fourth MLB campaign).  At the plate, the 25-year-old went .295-23-88, with 99 runs scored. He led the American League in hits (184) and doubles (47) – and for good measure he tossed ins 38 steals. His .852 OPS was first among AL shortops, as was his .501 Slugging Percentage.   Witt’s .295 average was fifth among qualifying American League SS; his 88 RBI third; his six triples first; and his 99 RBI first.

In the field , Witt added an exclamation point to his Gold Glove, by also capturing the American League Platinum Glove (awarded to the best overall fielder regardless of position).  In the  Statcast “Outs Above Average” rating, Witt’s +24 tied Cubs’ CF Pete Crow-Armstrong for the best in MLB. Witt made 153 starts at SS (third in the AL), ranked second among AL SS in assists, second in fielding percentage, fourth in putouts and fifth in double plays.

For Those Who Like Know Such Things

Only four players have won a Platinum Glove and a Silver Slugger Award in the same season: Bobby Witt, Jr. (2025/SS); Adrian Beltre (2011/3B); Anthony Rizzo (2016/3b). The unicorn in the group is 3B Nolan Arenado, who has earned the Platinum Glove/Silver Slugger combo three times (2017, 2018 and 2022).

A Little Background on 2025’s Platinum Glove/Silver Slugger Winner

Bobby Witt, Jr. Witt was the second overall selection (Royals) in the 2019 MLB Draft –  out of Colleyville (Texas)  Heritage High School, where he was named the 2019 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year (after a .515-15-54 Senior season).

In two minor-league seasons, Witt hit .283-34-124, with 38 steals.  He made his MLB debut  on April 7, 2022. In his first MLB season, Witt hit .254-20-80, with 30 stolen bases.  Then, in 2023, he joined the 30-30 (HR/SB) Club, with a season of .276-30-96, with 49 steals. In 2024, he became the first shortstop with more than one 30-30 campaign (,332-32-109, with 31 steals) – and led the AL with 211 hits and a .332 average. Of course, we’ve already looked at his 2025 Platinum/Silver season.

Witt, Jr.’s father pitched in 16 MLB seasons (1986-2001 … Rangers, A’s, Marlins, Cardinals, Rays, Indians, Diamondbacks), going 142-157, 4.83. His best season was 1990, when he went 17-10, 3.36 for the Rangers.

— TIDBITS OF SAME-SEASON SS/GG TRIVIA–

• The Chicago White Sox are the only team to never have a player capture a Silver Slugger Award and Gold Glove in the same season.
• The most players to achieve the GG/SS combo in a season is nine – back in 1984: Lance Parrish, C, Tigers; Keith Hernandez, 1B, Mets; Eddie Murray, 1B, Orioles; Ryne Sandberg, 2B, Cubs; Lou Whitaker, 2B, Tigers; Mike Schmidt, 3B, Phillies; Buddy Bell, 3B, Rangers; Dave Winfield, OF, Yankees; Dale Murphy, OF, Braves.
• Roberto Alomar (2B) is the only player to win the single-season Gold Glove/Silver Slugger combo with three different teams (Blue Jays-1992; Orioles-1996; Indians-1999, 2000).
• Scott Rolen (3B) and Zack Greinke are the only players to win the SS/GG combo in a season in which they played for two different teams. In 2002, Rolen was traded from the Phillies to the Cardinals on July 29. He played 100 games for the Phillies and 55 for the Cardinals in what would be his only SS/GG combo season.  Greinke did it in 2019, when he started the season with the Diamondbacks and was traded to the Astros at the July deadline. Despite moving to the AL with its DH, Greinke’s .280-3-8 season was good enough to earn him a Silver Slugger.
• The only team to have three SS/GG winners in the same season is the 1993 Giants (2B Robby Thompson, 3B Matt Williams, OF Barry Bonds).

Zack Greinke (2019 Diamondbacks/Astros), Mike Hampton (2003 Braves) and Max Fried (2021 Braves) are the only pitchers to win a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove in the same season. 

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Now that we’ve looked at 2025’s “Heavy Metal” honorees, here’s a look back at those who have won both awards in the same season in the past.  Since 1980, the combination of a Gold Glove/Silver Slugger has been achieved in a season 201 times by 106 different players – with 41 players accomplishing the feat more than once and 27 of those winning two or more consecutive SS/GG combinations.   Here are a couple of lists that might be of interest.  (Note: Since the Silver Slugger is awarded to three outfielders annually regardless of their position, the GG/SS combo lists in this post do not break outfielders out by position.)

—Full List of Same-Year Gold Glove/Silver Slugger Winners by Season—

2025

Bobby Witt, Jr., SS, Royals

2024

Bobby Witt, Jr., SS, Royals

2023

None

2022

J.T. Realmuto, C, Phillies

Nolan Arenado, 3B, Cardinals

Mookie Betts, OF,  Dodgers

2021

Marcus, Semien, 2B, Blue Jays

Max Fried, P, Braves

2020

Mookie Betts, RF, Dodgers

2019

J.T. Realmuto, C, Phillies; Mookie Betts, RF, Red Sox; Cody Bellinger, RF, Dodgers; Zack Greinke, P, D-backs/Astros

2018

Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies; Mookie Betts, OF, Red Sox; Nick Markakis, OF, Braves; Salvador Perez, C, Royals

2017

Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies; Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Diamondbacks; Eric Hosmer, 1B, Royals; Marcell Ozuna, OF, Marlins

2016

Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies; Mookie Betts, Of, Red Sox; Salvador Perez, C, Royals; Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs

2015

Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros; Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Diamondbacks; Dee Gordon, 2B, Marlins; Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies; Brandon Crawford, SS, Giants.

2014

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Dodgers

2013

Yadier Molina, C, Cardinals; Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Diamondbacks; J.J. Hardy, SS, Orioles; Adam Jones, OF, Orioles

2012

Adam LaRoche, 1B, Nationals; Robinson Cano, 2B, Yankees; Chase Headley, 3B, Padres; Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates

2011

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Red Sox; Brandon Phillips, 2B, Reds; Adrian Beltre, 3B, Rangers; Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies; Jacob Ellsbury, OF, Red Sox; Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers

2010

Joe Mauer, C, Twins; Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals; Robinson Cano, 2B, Yankees; Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies; Carl Crawford, OF, Rays; Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies

2009

Joe Mauer, C, Twins; Mark Teixeira, 1B, Yankees; Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Nationals; Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees; Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers; Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Mariners; Torii Hunter, OF, Angels

2008

Joe Mauer, C, Twins; Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox; David Wright, 3B, Mets; Grady Sizemore, OF, Indians

2007

Russell Martin, C, Dodgers; Placido Polanco, 2B, Tigers; David Wright, 3B, Mets; Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies; Carlos Beltran, OF, Mets; Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Mariners

2006

Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees; Carlos Beltran, OF, Mets

2005

Jason Varitek, C, Red Sox; Mark Teixeira, 1B, Rangers; Derrek Lee, 1B, Cubs; Andruw Jones, OF, Braves

2004

Ivan Rodriguez, C, Tigers; Jim Edmonds, OF, Cardinals

2003

Brett Boone, 2B, Mariners; Edgar Renteria, SS, Cardinals; Alex Rodriguez, SS, Rangers; Mike Hampton, P, Braves

2002

Todd Helton, 1B, Rockies; Scott Rolen, 3B, Cardinals/Phillies; Eric Chavez, 3B, A’s; Edgar Renteria, SS, Cardinals; Alex Rodriguez, SS, Rangers

2001

Todd Helton, 1B, Rockies; Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Mariners

2000

Roberto Alomar, 2B, Indians; Darin Erstad, OF, Angels

1999

Ivan Rodriguez, C, Rangers; Robert Alomar, 2B, Indians; Larry Walker, OF, Rockies; Ken Griffey, Jr., OF, Mariners; Shawn Green, OF, Blue Jays

1998

Ivan Rodriguez, C, Rangers; Rafael Palmeiro, 1B, Rangers; Ken Griffey, Jr. OF, Mariners

1997

Ivan Rodriguez, C, Rangers; Craig Biggio, 2B, Astros; Chuck Knoblauch, 2B, Twins; Matt Williams, 3B, Indians; Larry Walker, OF, Rockies; Barry Bonds, OF, Giants; Ken Griffey, Jr, OF, Mariners

1996

Ivan Rodriguez, C, Rangers; Roberto Alomar, 2B, Orioles; Ken Caminiti, 3B, Padres; Barry Larkin, SS, Reds; Barry Bonds, OF, Giants; Ken Griffey, Jr. OF, Mariners

1995

Ivan Rodriguez, C, Rangers; Craig, Biggio, 2B, Astros; Barry Larkin, SS, Reds

1994

Ivan Rodriguez, C, Rangers; Jeff Bagwell, 1B, Astros; Craig Biggio, 2B, Astros; Matt Williams, 3B, Giants; Wade Boggs, 3B, Yankees; Barry Bonds, OF, Giants; Ken Griffey, Jr., OF, Mariners

1993

Robby Thompson, 2B, Giants; Matt Williams, 3B, Giants; Jay Bell, SS, Pirates; Barry Bonds, OF, Giants; Ken Griffey, Jr, OF, Mariners

1992

Roberto Alomar, 2B, Blue Jays; Larry Walker, OF, Expos; Andy Van Slyke, OF, Pirates; Barry Bonds, OF, Pirates; Kirby Puckett, OF, Twins

1991

Will Clark, 1B, Giants; Ryne Sandberg, 2B, Cubs; Cal Ripken, Jr., SS, Orioles; Barry Bonds, OF, Pirates’ Ken Griffey, Jr., OF, Mariners

1990

Benito Santiago, C, Padres; Ryne Sandberg, 2B, Cubs; Kelly Gruber, 3B, Blue Jays; Barry Bonds, OF, Pirates; Ellis Burks, OF, Red Sox

1989

Ryne Sandberg, 2B, Cubs; Eric Davis, OF, Reds; Kirby Puckett, OF, Twins; Tony Gwynn, OF, Padres

1988

Benito Santiago, C, Padres; Ryne Sandberg, 2B, Cubs; Andy Van Slyke, OF, Pirates; Kirby Puckett, OF, Twins

1987

Don Mattingly, 1B, Yankees; Ozzie Smith, SS, Cardinals; Tony Gwynn, OF, Padres; Eric Davis, OF, Reds; Kirby Puckett, OF, Twins; Andre Dawson, OF, Cubs

1986

Don Mattingly, 1B, Yankees; Frank White, 2B, Royals; Mike Schmidt, 3B, Phillies; Tony Gwynn, OF, Padres; Kirby Puckett, OF, Twins

1985

Don Mattingly, 1B, Yankees; Ryne Sandberg, 2B, Cubs; Lou Whitaker, 2B, Tigers; Tim Wallach, 3B, Expos; George Brett, 3B, Royals; Willie McGee, OF, Cardinals; Dale Murphy, OF, Braves; Dave Winfield, OF, Yankees

1984

Lance Parrish, C, Tigers; Keith Hernandez, 1B, Mets; Eddie Murray, 1B, Orioles; Ryne Sandberg, 2B, Cubs; Lou Whitaker, 2B, Tigers; Mike Schmidt, 3B, Phillies; Buddy Bell, 3B, Rangers; Dave Winfield, OF, Yankees; Dale Murphy, OF, Braves

1983

Lance Parrish, C, Tigers; Eddie Murray, 1B, Orioles; Lou Whitaker, 2B, Tigers; Mike Schmidt, 3B, Phillies; Dale Murphy, OF, Braves; Dave Winfield, OF, Yankees; Andre Dawson, OF, Expos

1982

Gary Carter, C, Expos; Mike Schmidt, 3B, Phillies; Robin Yount, SS, Brewers; Dale Murphy, OF, Braves; Dave Winfield, OF, Yankees

1981

Gary Carter, C, Expos; Manny Trillo, 2B, Phillies; Mike Schmidt, 3B, Phillies; Andre Dawson, OF, Expos; Rickey Henderson, OF, A’s; Dwight Evans, OF, Red Sox; Dusty Baker, OF, Dodgers

1980

Keith Hernandez, 1B, Cardinals; Cecil Cooper, 1B, Brewers; Andre Dawson, OF, Expos; Willie Wilson, OF, Royals

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If you want to look up your favorite player(s), here’s an alphabetical list:

Your Same-Season Gold Glove/Silver Slugger combo winners listed alphabetically:

Alomar, Roberto … 1992; 1996; 1999; 2000

Altuve, Jose … 2015

Arenado, Nolan … 2015; 2016; 2017; 2018; 2022

Baker, Dusty … 1981

Bagwell, Jeff … 1994

Bell, Buddy … 1984

Bell, Jay … 1993

Bellinger, Cody  … 2019

Beltre, Adrian … 2011

Beltran, Carlos … 2006; 2007

Betts, Mookie … 2016; 2018; 2019; 2020, 2022

Biggio, Craig … 1994; 1995; 1997

Boggs, Wade) … 1994

Bonds, Barry … 1990; 1991; 1992; 1993; 1994; 1996; 1997

Boone, Brett … 2003

Brett, George … 1985

Burks, Ellis … 1990

Caminiti, Ken … 1996

Cano, Robinson … 2010; 2012

Carter, Gary … 1981; 1982

Chavez, Eric … 2002

Clark, Will … 1991

Cooper, Cecil …1980

Crawford, Brandon … 2015

Crawford, Carl … 2010

Dawson, Andre … 1980; 1981; 1983; 1987

Davis, Eric … 1987; 1989

Edmonds, Jim … 2004

Ellsbury, Jacob … 2011

Erstad, Darin … 2000

Evans, Dwight … 1981

Fried, Max … 2021

Goldschmidt, Paul … 2013; 2015; 2017

Gonzalez, Adrian … 2011; 2014

Gonzalez, Carlos … 2010

Gordon, Dee … 2015

Green, Shawn … 1999

Greinke, Zack … 2019

Griffey, Ken Jr. … 1991; 1993; 1994; 1996; 1997; 1998; 1999

Gruber, Kelly … 1990

Gwynn, Tony … 1986; 1987; 1989

Hampton, Mike … 2003

Hardy, J.J. … 2013

Headley, Chase … 2012

Helton, Todd … 2002

Henderson, Rickey … 1981

Hernandez, Keith … 1980; 1984

Eric Hosmer … 2017

Hunter, Torii … 2009

Jeter, Derek … 2006; 2009

Jones, Adam … 2013

Jones, Andruw … 2005

Kemp, Matt … 2009; 2011

Knoblauch, Chuck … 1997

Larkin, Barry … 1995; 1996

LaRoche, Adam … 2012

Lee, Derrek … 2005

Markakis, Nick … 2018

Martin, Russell … 2008

Mattingly, Don … 1985; 1986; 1987

Mauer, Joe … 2008; 2009; 2010

McCutchen, Andrew … 2012

McGee, Willie … 1985

Molina, Yadier … 2013

Murphy, Dale … 1982; 1983; 1984; 1985

Murray, Eddie … 1983; 1984

Marcell Ozuna … 2017

Polanco, Placido … 2007

Palmeiro, Rafael … 1998

Parrish, Lance … 1983; 1984

Pedroia, Dustin … 2008

Salvador, Perez … 2016; 2018

Phillips, Brandon … 2011

Puckett, Kirby … 1986; 1987; 1988; 1989; 1992

Pujols, Albert … 2010

J.T. Realmuto … 2019, 2022

Renteria, Edgar … 2002

Ripken, Cal, Jr. … 1991

Anthony Rizzo … 2016

Rodriguez, Alex … 2002; 2003

Rodriguez, Ivan … 1994; 1995; 1996; 1997; 1998; 1999; 2004

Rolen, Scott … 2002

Rollins, Jimmy … 2007

Sandberg, Ryne … 1984; 1985; 1988; 1989; 1990; 1991

Santiago, Benito … 1988; 1990

Schmidt, Mike … 1981; 1982; 1983; 1984; 1986

Sizemore, Grady … 2008

Semien, Marcus, 2021

Smith, Ozzie … 1987

Suzuki, Ichiro … 2001; 2007; 2009

Thompson, Robby … 1993

Teixeira, Mark … 2005, 2009

Trillo, Manny … 1981

Tulowitzki, Troy … 2010; 2011

Van Slyke, Andy … 1988; 1992

Varitek, Jason … 2005

Walker, Larry … 1992; 1997; 1999

Wallach, Tim … 1985

White, Frank … 1986

Whitaker, Lou … 1983; 1984; 1985

Williams, Matt … 1993; 1994; 1997

Wilson, Willie … 1980

Winfield, Dave … 1982; 1983; 1984; 1985

Bobby Witt, Jr. … 2024; 2025

Wright, David … 2007; 2008

Yount, Robin … 1982

Ryan Zimmerman … 2009

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; FanGraphs.com

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT. Follow me there for post notifications and links.

Follow Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here.  

Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1143

It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.  This week, we’re looking at MLB’s original (perhaps) “Wild Thing” –  Tommy Byrne.  Need to add the usual disclaimer: Negro League game-by-game records are not yet fully incorporated into the MLB record books.

When it comes to issuing free passes, Byrnes is a bit of an MLB unicorn.  Among pitchers with at least 1,000 MLB innings pitched, his 6.9 career walks per nine innings makes him the only qualifying (1,000+ career innings) pitcher with a ratio of 6+. Further, when you look at MLB pitchers with at least 100 mound innings in a season, Byrne again tops the free pass list. In 1952 (Yankees/Browns), Byrnes walked 150 batters in 143 2/3 innings – or 9.4 per nine frames – making him the only major leaguer to walk nine or more batter per nine innings in a season in which he pitched at least 100 innings. Second on this list would be the Rangers’ Bobby Witt, who (in 1987) walked a league-leading 140 batters in 143 innings (8.8 BB/9).

Further, when you look at “qualifying” pitchers (those who qualified for certain statistical leadership – like earned run average – having pitched at least one inning for each game his team played), Bryne again tops the single-season  list at 8.2 walks per nine innings in 1949 (179 walks in 196 innings).

Bryne may have been at his “peak” from 1949 through 1951, when he led the American League in walks and hit batsmen each season. Surprisingly, during those wild seasons, he won more than he lost – going 36-27, 4.24.  Side note: Byrne led the AL in hit batsman in five straight seasons (1948-52).

Wildly Effective or Effectively Wild? Take Your PIck.

In 1949, Tommy Bryne (pitching for the Yankees) went 15-7, 3.72. That season, he was wild enough to lead  major-league baseball in total walks (179) and hit batsmen (13). as well as to lead MLB qualifying pitchers in most walks per nine innings (8.2). On the flip side, Byrne was effective enough to lead qualifying MLB pitchers in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (5.7) and strikeouts per nine innings (5.9).  The end result?  A 15-7, 3.72 season with 12 complete games and three shutouts in 30 starts (32 appearances).

On June 8 of that season, Bryne walked a season-high 13 batters (and hit one) in an 11-inning, 3-2 Yankee loss to the Tigers (in Detroit).  Bryne gave up just four hits (all singles) and fanned six in his 10 2/3 innings. Fittingly, the Tigers’ winning run scored on three walks and a single. Oh, and the 13 walks tied for the most given up in a game by a pitcher that season.

Byrne shares the record for most walks in a single MLB game at 16. Bryne walked 16 (and gave up 11 hits) in a 3-1, 13-inning Browns’ loss to the Red Sox on August 22, 1951.  There has been only one other 16-walk outing in the Modern Era (post-1900):  The Athletics’ Bruno Haas, in a 15-7 loss to the Yankees on June 23, 1915, in his major-league and professional debut. In that one, Haas gave up 15 runs (eight earned) on 13 hits and 16 walks (the Athletics chipped in seven errors and Haas added three wild pitches), while tossing a nine-inning complete game.  Haas played just the one MLB season (six appearances, two starts … 0-1, 11.93 stat line).  He went on to play in 21 minor-league seasons (including 11 with the Saint Paul Saints), primarily as an outfielder. In his 11 seasons with the Saints, Haas hit .300+ in nine. In 1921-22, Haas also played tailback for the Akron Pros, Cleveland Indians and Daytona Triangles of the American Professional Football Association/National Football League.

Two More, By George

There have been two additional (pre-1900) sixteen-walk games by MLB pitchers: the White Stockings’ George Van Haltren in a 17-11 loss to the Beaneaters on June 27, 1887; and the Giants’ Bill George 1n May 30, 1887 12-11 loss to the White Stockings.

Byrne pitched in 13 MLB seasons (1943, 1946-57 … Yankees, Browns, White Sox, Nationals), going 85-69, 4.11, with 65 complete games and 12 shutouts in 170 starts (281 total appearances). He was also 1-1, 2.53 in six World Series appearances (three starts).  The one-time All Star’s best season was 1955, when he went 16-5, 3.36 for the Yankees.

Bryne seemed to find the plate (at least with more consistency) later in his career. From 1943-53, he played in nine MLB seasons and walked 7.4 batters (while fanning 5.2) per nine innings. In his final four seasons (1954-57), he lowered his walk rate to 5.4 per nine innings (fanning 4.8).

More “With the Roundtable One Thing Always Seems to Lead to Another.”

The most walks Tommy Bryne ever issued in a shutout was eight (in a 7-0 two-hit win over the Tigers (in Detroit) on June 27, 1948. That led to a look at the most walks ever issued in a shutout. The most walks ever issued in an MLB shutout is 11, by Hall of Famer Lefty Grove, who gave up 11 walks and five hits in a 7-0 Yankee win over the Browns on August 1, 1941. Gomez nearly lost the shutout in the ninth, when – after retiring the first two batters –  he issued three straight walks (with a wild pitch tossed in for good measure) before recording the final out.

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Never Expected To Find  This One

The Modern Era record for hit batsmen by a pitcher in a game is four shared by 49 hurlers (only Doc Newton had two four-HBP games, both while with the Reds in 1901). While researching these posts, I often come upon the unexpected. In this case, it was learning Orel Hershiser recorded four hit batsmen, while recording the fewest outs of any of the pitcher who made the list. On April 19, 2000, in a start against the Astros, Hershiser faced just 14 batters (and retired just four), giving up seven runs on four hit batsmen, two walks and four hits (there was a wild pitch in there as well.)  The wild outing  came in  Hershiser’s  final (and age-41) MLB season, when he went 1-5, 13.14 in 10 appearances (six starts).  Over his 18-season MLB career (1983-2000 … Dodgers, Indians, Giants, Mets), Hershiser went 204-150, 3.48.  He won the NL Cy Young Award in 1988 (23-8, 2.26 for the Dodgers), was a three-time All Star and won 15 or more games in six seasons. For those who like to know such things, Baseball-Almanac.com reports a recrod six-hit batsman game by Ed Knouff of the American Association Baltimore Orioles on April 25, 1887.

_________________________________

Postscript:

Of course, you can’t do a post on hard- (and wild) throwing pitchers without at least mentioning Steve Dalkowski – perhaps the hardest and wildest thrower of his time (or all-time) – and said to be the inspiration for Nuke LaLoosh of Bull Durham fame.

Dalkowski, a slight, hard-throwing left-hander, with thick-lensed glasses, was the true definition of a fireballer.  He fastball (and his lack of control) inspired fear in batters and almost mythical stories. Unfortunately, he never harnessed his unprecedented velocity and never made it into a major-league game.  Still, many veteran ballplayers, including Hall of Famer Ted Williams, said Dalkowski was the fastest pitcher they ever saw (or in Williams’ case, didn’t see – the eagle-eyed Williams is reported to haver said he didn’t see Dalkowski’s fastball pass him by).

Baseball-Reference.com documents that in nine minor-league seasons, he fanned 1,324 batters (in 956 innings), but also walked 1,236 and threw 145 wild pitches.  As an 18-year-old in Class-D Ball, Dalkowski went 1-8, 8.13 in 15 games (10 starts) and struck out 121 batters in just 62 innings, but also walked 129 and threw 39 wild pitches. That divided out into 3.2 hits, 18.7 walks and 17.6 strikeouts per nine innings. The following season (at three levels C, B and A), he fanned 203 batters in 104 innings, but also walked 207 and threw 26 wild pitches. In 1960, at C-level Stockton, he fanned 262 batters in 170 innings and also walked 262. Getting the picture?

The stories surrounding Dalkowski’s fire-balling career are many – some are fact, others myth, but all are legend. For example, he reportedly:

• Once hit a batter with a pitch that tore off part of the hitter’s ear;
• Threw a baseball through a wooden fence to win a bet;
• Hit an umpire with a wild pitch that broke the umpire’s protective mask in three places and sent him to the hospital for three days;
• Once threw a Northern League one-hitter, but lost 9-8 (15 strikeouts, but 17 walks);
• Once threw a ball from home plate over the centerfield fence at Elmira – some 400+ feet on the fly;
• Occasionally would throw pitches through the protective netting behind home plate, scattering fans;
• In one extra-inning contest, threw 283 pitches (fanning 27 and walking 16).

The fact is, while Dalkowski never pitched in the major leagues, his exploits were legendary enough to spur a book “Dalko: The Untold Story of Baseball’s Fastest Pitcher” by Bill Dembski, Alex Thomas and Brian Vikander, as well as a PBS television documentary “Far from Home: The Steve Dalkowski Story” (available on PBS.com and YouTube … see link below).

 

Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; Dalko: The Untold Story of Baseball’s Fastest Pitcher, by Bill Dembski, Alex Thomas and Brian Vikander, Influence Publishers, 2020; A Look Back at Steve Dalkowski, One of Baseball’s Mythical Fireballers, by Matt Monagan, Cut4, MLB.com.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT. Follow me there for post notifications and links.

Follow Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here.  

Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1142

It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.

During the 2025 post-season, the Blue Jays’’ Ernie Clement established double-unicorn status. Clement collected 30 base hits in 18 2025 post-season games – surpassing the Rays’ Randy Arozarena, who collected 29 hits in 18 games during the 2020 post season.    (Side note: The Blue Jays’ Vlad Guerrero, Jr. collected 29 base hits in the 2025 post season.)   Clement also set a new MLB record for most multi-hit games in a single post season with ten – breaking a three-way tie at nine: Marty Barrett, Red Sox, 1986 (in 18 games); Marquis Grissom, Braves, 1996 (16 games); Troy Glaus, Angels, 2002 (16 games). Oh and, again, Vlad Guerrero, Jr., fell one short of Clement’s new record, with nine multi-hit games this post-season.

How hot was Clement and how unexpected was his performance?  After a .277-9-50 stat line in 157 2025 regular-season games, he put up a .411-1-9 for the 2025 post-season.  He also smacked two or more hits in 55.6 percent of his 2025 post-season games, while collecting multiple hits in 26.8 percent of his regular-season games (although he only batted in just 151 of those games, which would improve that percentage to 27.7 percent).

Clement has played five MLB seasons (2021-25 … Indians, A’s Blue Jays), going .260-25-126 (434 games). He was a fourth -round pick in the 2017 MLB draft (Indians), out of the University of Virginia, where he hit .306-4-86 over 179 games in three seasons. He hit.287-19-159 over six minor-league campaigns.

Now, of course, with The Roundtable “one thing always seems to lead to another,” and I got to thinking about what kind of numbers (raw total and percentages), we might see if we looked at multi-hit games over a full season (or career).  My usual disclaimer here:  While the Negro Leagues from 1920-48 have been designated major leagues, the game-by-game statistics  not yet fully documented nor incorporated in the MLB record books. 

MOST MULTI-HIT GAMES – CAREER AND SEASON

The leader in multi-hit g mes in an MLB season  is Al Simmons, who had 85 multi-hit games for the 1925 Athletics – collecting two or more hits in 55.6 percent of his games played.  Simmons put up a .387-24-129 line, leading the major leagues with 253 hits.   Simmons ultimately played in 20 MLB seasons (1924-42, 1943-44 … Athletics, White Sox, Tigers, Nationals, Braves, Reds, Red Sox), hitting .334-307-1,828 over 2,215 games. The Hall of Famer won two batting titles and twice led the league in hits (six times collecting 200 or more hits in a season).  During the 1925 season, Simmons had three streaks of seven straight multi-hit games, including one (September 21-26), during which he went 19-for-33 (.576), with three three-hit, one four-hit and three two-hit games. Surprisingly, he didn’t draw a single walk during the streak.

The list of players with at least 80 multi-hit games in a season pretty much takes us to back to before I was on the scene: Simmons, Ty Cobb (1911); Chuck Klein (1930); Joe Medwick (1937). The unique exception is Ichiro Suzuki, who delivered 80 multi-hit games for the 2004 Mariners – in a season in which he led MLB with a .372 average and collected an MLB single-season record of 262 hits. In a 19-season, MLB career (2001-2019 … Mariners, Yankees, Marlins), Suzuki hit .311-117-780 (1,420 runs scored and 509 steals). He won two batting titles and led the league in hits seven times. From 2001-214, he ran off a streak of ten straight 200+ hit seasons.  Suzuki also collected 1,278 hits (.353 average) in nine seasons in the Japanese Pacific League before joining the Mariners in 2001 (his age-27 season).

For those who like to know such things: The Rays’ Yandy Diaz and Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez tied for the most multi-hit games in the 2025 season at 53. Diaz played in 150 games and went .300-25-83, while Rodriguez played in 160 games and went .267-32-95, giving them multiple hits in 35.3 percent and 33.1 percent of their 2025 games, respectively.  The leader in career multi-hit games among active players is the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman with 687.  The 36-year-old Freeman has played in 16 MLB seasons (2010-25 … Braves, Dodgers) and gone .300-367-1,322. He has collected multiple hits in 31.5 percent of his 2,179 MLB games. 

 The leader for most multi-hit games in a career is, as you might expect, Ty Cobb, with 1,293 multi-hit games (out of 3,034 games played for a 42.6 percent career ratio.) Cobb played in 24 MLB seasons (1905-28 … and Tigers, Athletics), and put up a .366-117-1,944 line over 3,034 games. He was a twelve-time batting champion, and led the league in hits eight times, runs scored five times, doubles three times, triples four times and stolen bases six times.

The list of players with 1,000 or more career multi-hit games reads pretty much like a Baseball Hall of Fame brochure (with a notable exception at number-two).  Joining Cobb are Pete Rose, Tris Speaker, Stan Musial, Henry Aaron and Derek Jeter.

 

George Sisler is the only player with more than one season with ten or more four-hit games (he had three such seasons out of MLB’s 13).  He also he also holds the number-one spot (unicorn) for four-hit games in a season with 12 – and he did it twice (1920 and 1922).  The Hall of Famer played in 15 MLB seasons (1915-22, 1924-30), going .340-102-1,178. He won a pair of batting titles, hitting over .400 both times (.407 in 1920 and .420 in 1922 (both for the Browns).  Sisler also led the league in hits twice, runs scored once, triples twice and stolen bases four times.

What Might Have Been

 George Sisler missed the 1923 season (his age-30 season) struggling with a sinus infection that led to chronic severe headaches and impaired vision. He worked his way back and, while still delivering superior performance, was not as dangerous a hitter as before then illness.  In the season before the illness, he went .420-8-105) and in the first season back after the illness, he went .305-9-74.  Further, in the eight seasons before the illness, he went .361-60-612, in the seven seasons after returning from the illness, he went .320-42-566. 

 As you might expect, Ty Cobb recorded the most career four-hit games, with 95.  As the chart below shows, the “usual suspects” drawn from multiple eras top this list.

FIVE-HIT GAMES

The list of players with four five-hit games in a season contains four of the games purest hitters – Ty Cobb, Stan MUsial, Tony Gwynn and Ichiro Suzuki – among them they have 29 batting titles and career averages of .366 (Cobb), .331 (Musial); .338 (Gwynn) and .311 (Suzuki).

The list of players with the most career five-hit games, includes leader Ty Cobb (with 12 batting titles and a .366 career average); Pete Rose (three batting titles and a .303 career average); and Tony Gwynn (eight batting titles and a career .338 average).

The surprise in the top four is Max Carey, who never won a batting title (.285 career average). Carey played in 20 MLB seasons (1910-29) and went .285-70-802 with 1,5645 runs scored and 738 steals.  The Hall of Famer led his league in steals ten times.

SEVEN- AND NINE-HIT GAMES

Nine Hits

MLB has seen just one nine-hit game.   On July 10, 1932, Indians SS Johnny Burnett went nine-for-eleven in a Cleveland 18-inning, 18-17 loss to the Athletics. (Burnett had seven singles and two doubles in 11 at bats.) Burnett played in nine MLB seasons (1927-35 … Indians, Browns), going .284-9-213 in 558 games.

Seven-Hit Games and a Unicorn

There have been four seven-hit games, but only one nine-inning seven-hit game.  On September 16, 1975, as his Pirates rocked the Cubs 22-0 in Chicago, Pittsburgh second baseman and leadoff hitter Rennie Stennett went seven-for-seven, with tw0 doubles, a triple, five runs scored and two RBI. Stennett played 11 MLB seasons (1971-81 … Pirates, Giants), going .274-41-432 in 1,237 games.

Others with seven hit games include; the Tigers’ Rocky Colavito (seven-for-ten in a June 24, 1962, 22-inning, 9-1 loss to the Yankees); the Giants’ Brandon Crawford in an August 8, 2016, 14-inning, 8-7 win over the Marlins; and the Tigers’ Cesar Gutierrez in a June 21, 1970, 12-inning, 9-8 win over the Indians.

Six-Hit Games

There have been 117 six-hit games, but only four players have had two such offensive outbursts:  Jim Bottomley (for the Cardinals in 1924 and 1931); Doc Cramer (for the Athletics in 1932 & 1936); Jimmie Foxx (for the Athletics in 1930 & 1932); and Kirby Puckett (for the Twins in 1987 and 1991).

Primary Resource: Stathead.com

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT. Follow me there for post notifications and links.

Follow Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here.  

Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1142

 

 

It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.

Now, last night’s 18-inning World Series battle, as you might expect, offered up some unicorn-qualifying occurrences (although not the game itself, since it was the second-ever 18-frame World Series Game.  And, as he does so often, Shohei Ohtani did some unicorn-qualifying and unicorn-like things.  We’ll get to the Amazing Mr. Ohtani in a few paragraphs, but let’s start with a few obvious and not-so-obvious unicorns from Monday night.

The obvious: the Dodgers became the only team to play in two 18-inning World Series games and the only team to win two-18 inning World Series games with a walk-off home run.  Dodger Stadium became the first/only ballpark to host two 18-inning World Series contests and a  Game Three the only WS Game to go 18-innings. Less obvious:  Brad Paisley became the only professional singer to lead the crowd in the National Anthem before two World Series 18-inning games.

Here’s another Monday unicorn., one that at least borders on obvious.   In Monday’s game, Mookie Betts became the first player to start in 18-inning World Series games for two different teams. He started in RF for the Red Sox in Game Three of the 2018 World Series and at SS for the Dodgers Monday night. (As you will see, if you read on, he is not the only player to start 18-inning World Series games at two different positions.)

Less obvious is the fact that Clayton Kershaw is now the only player (unicorn) to participate in one 18-inning World Series game solely as an offensive player and another solely as a pitcher. Kershaw made a brief appearance in both games and each time he was responsible for exactly one out. Kershaw lined out as a pinch hitter in the 17th inning of the 2018 game (and did not pitch) and retired one batter in a relief role in the 12th inning of the 2025 game (and did not come to the plate).

Now back to some almost-unicorns. Two players were in the starting lineups for both games, each starting at two different positions. We’ve already looked at Betts.  The other two-time starter was Max Muncy, who started at 1B for the Dodgers in 2018 and at 3B for LA in 2025. Then there is Enrique Hernandez, who played in both 18-inning World Series games (for the Dodgers, coming in at 2B in the 11th inning of the 2018 game – later moving to LF – and starting in LF in the 2025 Game).

A Unicorn Extra

Last night’s game saw 19 pitchers take the mound, a new post-season record and 37 stranded runners (another post-season record).

Now, let’s move on to the king of MLB unicorns, Shohei Ohtani, who just keeps etching his name into the National Pastime’s history.

Ohtani had quite a night, making nine plate appearances and getting on base nine times (two homers, two doubles, five walks).

• In almost-unicorn fashion, he tied the record for plate appearances in a World Series game (or any post-season game for that matter) with nine.

For those Who Like To Know Such Things

The record for plate appearances in single MLB regular-season game is 12, shared by Harold Baines, Carlton Fisk and Rudy Law (all for the White Sox in a 25-inning, 7-6 win over the Brewers on May 8, 1984) and the Mets’ Felix Millan and John Milner (in a September 11, 1974, 25-inning, 3-4 loss to the Cardinals).

• Ohtani also achieved unicorn status as the only player with a 1.000 on-base percentage in a post-season game with nine plate appearances.
• In a unicorn-worthy move, Ohtani set a new record for walks in a World Series game (five). He also tied the record for walks in a post-season game of any kind. (The Rangers’ Corey Seager drew five walks in Game Two of the 2023 AL Division Series).

For Those Who Like To Know Such Things

The record for walks in a single regular-season MLB game is six, shared by Jeff Bagwell, Jimmie Foxx, Bryce Harper and Andre Thornton. Foxx is the only one of those to collect six walks in a nine-inning contest.

• Ohtani also tied the record for extra-base hits in a World Series game at four. (In Game 5 of the 1906 World Series, the White Sox’ Frank Isbell had four doubles in a ChiSox’ w8-6 win over the Cubs.)
• Ohtani set a new record for Intentional Walks in a World Series (or any post-season) game at four. Previously six players shared the post-season single game record for IBB at three. Now a unicorn holds it.

For Those Who Like To Know Such Things

The record for Intentional Walks in a single MLB game is five, by the Cubs’ Andre Thornton in a 16-inning, 2-1 win over the Reds on May 22, 1990.

So, there are some observations from Monday night’s WS Game. I can’t wait to see what happens tonight (especially with Ohtani on the mound).  I have a hunch more unicorn-worthy occurrences lie ahead.

Primary Resource: Stathead.com.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here. 

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT. Follow me there for post notifications and links.

Follow Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here.  

Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1141

It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye.  (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics.  This Tuesday, with the World Series approaching, we’ll look at a whole lot of World Series records.  I’ve worked to incorporate Negro League World Series records (1924-27, 1942-48) whenever possible (relying heavily on retrosheet.org and stathead.com).  You should keep in mind, the Negro Leagues records are still incomplete or, in some cases, not thoroughly documented.

Did you know, righthander Lance McCullers, Jr., who pitched in three World Series games (2017 & 2022), holds the World Series’ single-game records for the most batters hit (four)  and the most home runs allowed (five); that Willie Mays is the only player to ground into three double plays in a single WS game; that Christy Mathewson is the only pitcher to toss three shutouts in one World Series and did it in the span of six days; or that, in one game, Albert Pujols set or tied the World Series single-game records for total bases, hits, runs scored, RBI and home runs?

Let’s take a dive into the World Series Record Book – some records to Shoot for, some to avoid. A couple of examples, first:

 

To Shoot For

Albert Pujols – Possibly the Best World Series Game at the Plate … Ever

On October 22, 2011 – in Game Three of the Cardinals/Rangers World Series matchup – Redbirds’ 1B Albert Pujols went five-for-six with four runs scored and six RBI.  In the process, he established a new (and still-standing) record for total bases in a World Series game (14) and also earned, and still holds, a share of the World Series’ single-game records for hits (5), runs scored (4), RBI (6) and home runs (3). Ironically, in the other six games, he went one-for-nineteen, with six walks, four runs scored and no RBI.

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To Avoid

Lance McCullers, Jr. – Channeling Ricky Vaughn

In Game Seven of the 2017 World Series (November 1), Lance McCullers of the Astros plunked four Dodgers in 2 1/3 innings. Surprisingly, despite giving up three hits and hitting four batters in 2 1/3 innings, McCullers did not surrender a run.

His appearance went like this:

Bottom of the first – Astros up 2-0. Dodgers’ CF Chris Taylor opens with a double; McCullers fans SS Corey Seager on a 3-2 pitch; 3B Justin Turner is hit by a 1-2 pitch; 1B Cody Bellinger fans on a 1-2 pitch; RF Yasiel Puig is hit by a 3-1 pitch, loading the bases. LF Joc Pederson grounds out on an 0-2 pitch to end the inning.

Second Inning – 2B Logan Forsythe leads off with a single to left (on a 1-0 pitch); C Austin Barnes grounds out, Forsythe moving to second; PH Enrique Hernandez is it by a 3-1 pitch; Taylor lines into a double play.

Third Inning – Seager singles to center on a 1-2 pitch; Turner is hit by an 0-0 pitch; Bellinger strikes out on a 2-2 pitch. Brad Peacock relieves McCullers and retires Puig and Pederson with no damage., The Astros go on to win the Game 5-1 and the Series four games-to-three.

 

Now,  let’s break these tidbits  down in a more organized way.

 

Most Home Runs in a World Series Game – Three

Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Albert Pujols, Pablo Sandoval

 

Babe Ruth … While four players have hit three home runs in a World Series game, the Yankees’ Babe Ruth is the only one of those players to accomplish the feat twice – October 6, 1926 and October 9, 1928. In Game Four of the 1926 Series, as the Yankees topped the Cardinals 10-5, Ruth went three-for-four, with three home runs, two walks, four runs scored and four RBIs. The long-ball victims were Redbirds’ starter Flint Rhem (twice) and reliever Herman Bell. In Game Four of the 1928 World Series (a Yankees’ sweep over the Cardinals), Ruth went three-for-five with three solo home runs – two off Bill Sherdel and one off Grover “Pete” Alexander.

Reggie Jackson … The Yankees’ Reggie Jackson’s feat was unique in that he hit his three long balls (October 18, 1977) off three consecutive pitches offered up by three different pitchers. After drawing a walk to lead off the bottom of the second inning of Game Six (versus Dodgers’ starter Burt Hooton), Jackson hit the first pitch he saw from Hooton in the fourth inning for a two-run home run. He came up again in the fifth, facing Elias Sosa, and hit the first pitch in that at bat for another two-run homer. In his next at bat, leading off the eighth frame, Jackson hit the first pitch from Charlie Hough for a solo home run. A three-for-three day with four runs scored and five RBI.

Albert Pujols … Albert Pujols hit his three home runs in Game Three of the 2011 World Series (versus the Rangers) in Texas – as part of a five-for-six day. He hit a three-run homer on a 1-1 pitch from Alexi Ogando in the top of the sixth; a two-run shot on the first pitch he saw from Mike Gonzalez in the seventh; and a solo shot homer on a 2-2 pitch from Darren Oliver in the ninth. Those six RBI were the only runs driven in by Pujols in the seven-game Series – won by the Redbirds four games-to-three.

Pablo Sandoval … In Game One of the 2012 World Series (October 24), the Giants’ Pablo Sandoval went four-for-four, with three home runs, three runs scored and four RBI. He homered in the first and third innings off the Tigers’ Justin Verlander and in the fifth off Al Alburquerque before adding a single off Jose Valverde in the seventh – as the Giants triumphed 8-3.

Pablo Sandoval hit just 12 home runs in 108 games during the 2012 season and only 153 in 14 MLB seasons. In the 2012 post-season, however, he hit six home runs in 18 games.

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Home Runs in a Single World Series – Five

Reggie Jackson, Chase Utley, George Springer

Reggie Jackson … As noted above, Yankee RF Reggie Jackson had a three-home run game in the sixth and final matchup of the 1977 World Series.  The Yankees won the game 8-4 and the Series four games-to-two. Jackson also went deep in the Yankees’ Game Four 4-2 win over the Dodgers (a solo shot off Rick Rhoden) and in the Yankees’ 10-4 loss in Game Five (a solo homer off Don Sutton).   Over the final three games of the Series, Jackson went   seven-for-eleven, with a double, five home runs, eight runs scored and eight RBI.

Chase Utley … Utley’s Phillies lost the 2009 World Series (four games-to-two), but it wasn’t Utley’s fault, The Philly 2B led all players with five homers and tied the Yankees’ Hideki Matsui for the Series RBI lead with eight. He hit two solo homers in the Phillies’ Game One 6-1 win, had a home run and a double in a 7-4 Game Four loss; and had a second two-homer game as the Phillies took Game Five 8-6. (Utley drove in four of the eight runs).

George Springer … Astros’ CF and leadoff hitter George Springer hit .379, with five home runs and seven RBI as the Astros topped the Dodgers four games-to-three in the 2017 World Series. This was after a Game One in which he came to the plate four times and fanned four times (on a total of 19 pitches). He went on to homer in Games Two, Four, Five, Six and Seven.

Bases – Just Add ‘Em Up

George Springer holds the record for total bases in a single World Series at 29.  In the 2017 World Series – as his Astros topped the Dodgers four games-to-three, Springer collected 11 hits in 29 at bats, including three doubles and five home runs.

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Base Hits in a World Series Game – Five

Paul Molitor, Albert Pujols

Paul Molitor … Brewers’ third baseman and leadoff hitter Paul Molitor – who hit .302 with 201 hits in the 1982 regular season – grounded out to second base leading off the 1982 World Series (Inning One, Game One, in St. Louis on October 12). It would be the only time he was retired in the game, as the Brewers triumphed 10-0. Molitor followed with a single in the second inning; an RBI-single in the fourth; a single in the sixth; a single in the eighth; and an RBI single in the ninth.

Taking It One Base at a Time

When the Brewers’ Paul Molitor hit .355 (11-for-31) in the 1982 World Series, every one his safeties was a single. The Brew Crew lost the Series to the Cardinals four games-to-three.

Albert Pujols … Cardinals’ first baseman Albert Pujols had his five-hit World-Series contest in Game Three (October 22) of the 2011 Series (in Texas). Like Molitor (above), Pujols grounded out in his first at bat – and then went on to record five straight hits. Unlike Molitor, his safeties were not all singles. He led off the fourth inning with a single (off Matt Harrison); led off the fifth with a single off Scott Feldman; popped a three-run home run off Alexi Ogando in the sixth; hit a two-run dinger off Mike Gonzalez in the seventh; and homered off Darren Oliver (solo) in the ninth.  The Cardinals won the contest 16-7 and won the Series four game-to-three

___________________________

Base Hits in a Single World Series – Fifteen

Judy Johnson … The Hilldale Club’s 3B Judy Johnson rapped 15 hits in 44 at bats in the best-of-nine 1924 Negro Leagues World Series. (The Hilldale Club topped the Kansas City Monarchs five games-to-four (with one tie).  Johnson hit .341 for the Series with five doubles, one triple, one home run and seven runs scored.

Side Note:  The record for base hits in a best-of-seven World Series is 13, shared by Bobby Richardson, Yankees (1964); Lou Brock, Cardinals (1968); and Marty Barrett, Red Sox, 1986). Each of those Series went the full seven games.

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Runs Batted in a World Series Game – Six

Bobby Richardson, Hideki Matsui, Albert Pujols, Addison Russell

Bobby Richardson … In Game Three of the 1960 World Series (October 8), the Yankees trounced the Pirates 10-0. Despite a lineup that included the big bats of Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Bill Skowron and Elston Howard, little 5’9” second baseman Bobby Richardson (a .252 hitter with just one home run and 26 RBI in 150 1960 regular-season games) did the most damage to the Pirates’ pitching staff.  His day included a Grand Slam home run in the first frame and a two-run single in the fourth (part of a two-for-five day). Richardson’s six RBI set a new MLB single-game World Series RBI record (since tied). How unlikely was the Richardson Grand Slam? In 12 MLB seasons (1,412 regular-season games), he had just 34 home runs and one regular-season Grand Slam. Despite the Yankees losing the Series four games-to-three, Richardson, who drove in a World Series’ record 12 RBI in the seven games, was named the Series MVP – the only player from the losing team ever granted that honor.

Hideki Matsui … In the final game of the 2009 World Series (Game Six on November 4), Yankee DH Hideki Matsui filled the DH role well – driving in six runs in the Yankees’ 7-3 win over the Phillies. His three-for-four day included a two-run home run (off Pedro Martinez) in the second inning; a two-run single off Martinez in the third; and a two-run double off J.A. Happ in the fifth. Matsui had quite a series, leading the Bronx Bombers in average (.615); home runs (3); and RBI (8) – and winning World Series MVP Honors. Matsui was coming off a .274-28-90 regular season.

Put Me In, Coach

In Hideki Matsui’s first three seasons with the Yankees (2003-05), he played in every Yankee Game – going .297-70-330. Matsui joined the Yankees (and MLB) after playing ten seasons in Japan, where he hit .304-332-889.

Albert Pujols … Yep, Albert Pujols is here again – thanks to his three-home run, six-RBI game in the 2011 World Series (Game Three, October 22). As noted earlier, in that 16-7 win, Pujols set the World Series single-game record for total bases and tied the World Series single-game records for hits (5), home runs (3), RBI (6) and runs scored (4).

Addison Russell … The Cubs faced elimination for the second game in a row as they came into Game Six of the 2016 World Series. (The opposing Indians had won three of the first four games.) Cubs’ SS Addison Russell lashed a two-run double in the top of the first to put the Cubbies ahead 3-0 and, two innings later, smacked a Grand Slam to push the edge to 7-0. The Cubs eventually won 9-3 and ended up taking the Series four games-to-three, with a ten-inning, 8-7 win in Game Seven. Russell hit just .222 for the Series, but drove in a Series-leading nine runs. Over a five-season MLB career, Russell hit .242-60-253 in 615 games. 2016 was his only All Star year and he reached career highs in runs (67), home runs (21) and RBI (95).

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RBI in a Single World Series – 12

Bobby Richardson, Freddie Freeman

Bobby Richardson … Yankees’ 2B Bobby Richardson drove in a record 12 runs (.367-1-12 for the Series), as the Yankees lost to the underdog Pittsburgh Pirates four games -to-three.  The Yankees lost the Series despite outscoring the Pirates 55-27 over the seven games. Again, (this deserves repeating), during the 1960 regular season, Richardson had driven in 26 runs in 150 games.

Freddie Freeman … Freeman drove in 12 tallies for the Dodgers in the 2024 World Series – which lasted only five games (The Dodgers beat the Yankees four games-to-one). Freeman’s line for the Series was .300-4-12, with six hits and five runs scored. The World Series MVP drove in four runs in the Dodger 6-3 Game One victory; one run in the Dodgers 4-2 Game Two win; two runs in LA’s 4-2 Game Three win; three runs in the Game four 11-4 loss to the Yankees; and two runs in the Series ending Game Five 7-6 Dodgers triumph. Freeman had gone .282-22-89 on the season.

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Runs Scored in a World Series Game – Four

Babe Ruth, Earle Combs, Frankie Crosetti, Enos Slaughter, Reggie Jackson, Kirby Puckett, Carney Lansford, Lenny Dykstra, Jeff Kent, Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman

This is a mark I ‘d like to see broken, if only to end an 11-player tie.

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Runs Scored in a Single World Series – Ten

Monte Irvin, Reggie Jackson, Paul Molitor

Monte Irvin … Newark Eagles’ SS Monte Irvin scored ten runs as his Newark Eagles topped the Kansas City Monarchs four games-to-three in the 1946 Negro League World Series. Irvin was pretty much unstoppable in the Series, going 12-for-26 (.462), with two doubles, three homers, the ten runs scored and eight RBI.  Oh, and he also stole two bases.

Reggie Jackson … Yankees’ RF Reggie Jackson went .450-5-8 with ten runs scored as the Yankees bested the Dodgers four games-to-three in the 1977 World Series. Six of Jackson’s nine hits went for extra bases (five homers, one double).

Paul Molitor … Blue Jays’ DH/1B Paul Molitor went 11-for-24 (.458) in the 1993 Worlds Series, won by the Blue Jays over the Phillies four games-to-two.    Molitor had one double, two triples, two homers, ten runs  scored  and seven RBI in the six games.

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Stolen Bases in a World Series Game – Three

Honus Wagner, Willie Davis, Lou Brock, B.J. Upton, Rajai Davis

Lou Brock … Lets’ just note here, that Lou Brock remains the only player to steal three bases in a World Series game twice in his career. The fleet Cardinals’ outfielder first accomplished the feat against the Red Sox in Game Seven of the 1967 World Series (October 12) – stealing second base after a single in the fifth, then adding insult to injury in the ninth, stealing second and third after walking (with the Cardinals up 7-2 on the Red Sox).  He also stole three bases in in Game Three of the 1968 World Series (October 5) against the Tigers – stealing second after a first-inning walk (then being caught attempting to swipe third base), and second again in the third and fifth innings.  Brock led the league in steals in both 1967 and 1968, with 52 and 62 respectively.

Honus Wagner … Off and Running

Honus Wagner helped his Pirates defeat the Tigers 8-6 in Game Three of the 1909 World Series.  In the first frame: he reached on an error: stole second; took third on the catcher’s errant throw); and scored on a wild pitch. He also stole second in the fifth, was caught attempting to steal second after a seventh-inning single and stole second in the ninth.  Wagner had stolen 35 bases in the 1909 regular season.

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Stolen Bases in a Single World Series – Seven

Lou Brock … Brock, who stole 938 bases in his career (regular-season), is not just the only player to steal seven bases in a single World Series, he did it twice. In 1967, as his Cardinals lost to the Red Sox 4-3, and in 1968, as St. Louis topped the Tigers 4-3. Brock was seven-for-seven in steal attempts in 1967 and seven-for-nine in 1968. Notably, in those two World Series, Brock hit .414 (1967) and .464 (1968).

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Intentional Walks in World Series Game – Three

Rudy York, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, David Ortiz

Rudy York, Red Sox … October 11, 1946 – Game Five of the Cardinals/Red Sox World Series

Barry Bonds, Giants …   On October 23, 2002 – Game Four of the Angels/Giants World Series.

Albert Pujols, Cardinals … On October 24, 2011 – in Game Five of the Cardinals/Rangers World Series.

David Ortiz, Red Sox … On October 30, in Game Six of the Cardinals/Red Sox World Series.

13 – Lucky or Unlucky?

In the 2002 World Series, the Giants’ Barry Bonds drew a WS record 13 walks (in 30 plate appearances).  He made the best of it when the Angels, who won the Series four games-to three, pitched to him – going 8-for-17 (.471), with four home runs and six RBI.

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Grounded into Double Plays in a World Series Game – Three

Willie Mays …. On October 8, 1951 – in Game Four of the Yankees/Giants World Series – Giants’ rookie CF Willie Mays came to bat four times and not only was held hitless, but grounded into a Series single-game record three double plays.

 

Baseball Roundtable Extra – Whiff and Poof

While 19 players have fanned four times in a World Series Game – including position players Josh Devore, Mickey Mantle, Joe Collins, Wayne Garrett, Devon White, Brad Hawpe, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell, Mike Napoli, George Springer and Cody Bellinger:

Only pitcher George Pipgras has fanned five times in a World Series Game. The Yankee righthander did it in Game Three of the 1932 Cubs/Yankees World Series – whiffing in all five of his plate appearances. Pipgras, a career .163 hitter, did get the win in a 7-5 Yankee triumph.

Only Cody Bellinger has fanned four times in a World Series Game twice – and he did it in a span of five days. The Dodgers’ rookie 1B did it in Game Three of the 2017 Dodger/Astros World Series (October 27) – fanning four times in four at bats on fourteen pitches. He repeated the “feat” in Game Six (October 31) fanning four times in four plate appearances – this time on 24 pitches. The 21-year-old Bellinger was coming off an All Star and Rookie of the Year season in which he hit .267-39-97. In the Series he fanned World Series record 17 times in 29 plate appearances.

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Doubles in a World Series Game – Four

Frank Isbell … In Game Five of the 1906 World Series (Cubs/White Sox), White Sox’ 2B Frank Isbell went four-for-five, rapping four doubles, as the White Sox topped the Cubs 8-6. Isbell scored three times and drove in two.  Isbell was not exactly a doubles machine.  In the 1906 regular season he hit just 18 doubles in 617 plate appearances.

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Doubles in a Single World Series – Seven

Newt Allen … Kansas City Monarchs’ 2B Newt Allen rapped seven doubles in the best-of-nine 1924 Negro League World Series, as his Monarchs topped the Hilldale Club five games-to four (one tie). Allen collected 11 hits (39 at bats) in the Series) and seven of them were doubles.  During the 1924 regular season, Allen hit just eight doubles in 73 games (298 at bats).

Side Note:  The most doubles in a best-of-seven World Series is six, by Tigers’ RF Pete Fox in the 1934 World Series. For the Series (Cardinals over Tigers four games-to-three), Fox went 8-for-28 (.286).

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Triples in a World Series Game – Two

Tommy Leach, Patsy Dougherty, Dutch Reuther, Bobby Richardson, Tommy Davis, Mark Lemke

Tommy Leach, Pirates … Game One 1903 World Series (Pirates/Boston Americans). Notably, both three-baggers were hit off Cy Young.  Part of a four-for-five day.

Patsy Dougherty, Boston Americans … Game Five 1903 World Series, part of a three-for-six, three-RBI day.

Dutch Reuther, Reds … Game One, 1919 World Series (Reds/White Sox). Reuther gets special mention as the only pitcher on the list. He collected two triples, a single and a walk in four plate appearances – and also pitched a one-run, six-hit, complete game, as his Reds triumphed 9-1. Reuther was a solid-hitting pitcher, putting up a .258 average, with seven home runs and 111 RBI over 11 MLB seasons.

Bobby Richardson, Yankees … Game Six 1960 World Series (Pirates/Yankees). The Yankee second-sacker went two-for-three with one run and three RBI in the game.

Tommy Davis, Dodgers – Game Two, 1963 World Series (Dodgers/Yankees). The Dodgers’ CF went two-for-four, with one run and two RBI.

Mark Lemke, Braves … Game Six, 1991 World Series (Braves/Twins). A two-for-three day with two runs and three RBI for the Braves’ 2B.

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Triples in a Single World Series – Four

Tommy Leach … Pirates’ 3B Tommy Leach had four triples among his nine hits (in 33 at bats) in the 1903 best-of-nine World Series, won by the Boston Americans five games-to-three.

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Now Let switch to the moundsmen.

 

Perfect Games in the World Series 

Don Larsen, Yankees …. Game 6 1960 World Series (October 8). Don Larsen, coming off a 11-5, 2.36 season, pitched the World Series’ only Perfect Game – retiring all 27 Dodger batters on a total of 97 pitchers as the Yankees won 2-0. Larsen, who fanned seven, reached ball three on only one Dodger hitter (Dodgers’ shortstop Pee Wee Reese in the first inning). Dodgers’ pitcher Sal Maglie had the longest at bat versus Larsen – a seven-pitch at bat before fanning on a 2-2 pitch to end the sixth inning.

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No-Hitter (not a Perfect Game) in a World Series

Red Grier, Red Farrell

Red Grier … Claude “Red” Grier of the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (Eastern Colored League) tossed a no-hitter versus the Chicago American Giants (Negro National League) in a 10-0 win in Game Three of the 1926 Negro League World Series. Grier walked six and fanned eight in the outing – and also collected three hits (a double and two singles) and a walk.

Red Farrell …. Luther “Red’ Farrell of the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants tossed a seven-inning (game called on account of darkness) no-hitter in Game Four of the 1927 Negro League World Series – as Atlantic City topped the Chicago American Giants 3-2.  Luther gave up two unearned runs, walked five and fanned three.  (Atlantic City made four errors.)

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There have been more than 90 single-pitcher shutouts in World Series play, so let’s just look at the two narrower categories: Extra-Inning, Single-Pitcher Shutouts & Multiple Shutouts in a Single World Series.

Extra-Inning World Series Shutouts

Johnny Markham, Christy Mathewson, Clem Labine, Jack Morris

Johnny Markham, Homestead Grays … In Game Seven of the 1943 Negro League World Series (the Series went eight games – one tie), Markham threw an eight-hit, 11-inning shutout (one walk and zero – yes, zero – strikeouts), as his Homestead Grays topped the Birmingham Black Barons 1-0. His mound opponent, Roy Partlow gave up ten hits (two walks/two whiffs) and one run in 10 2/3 innings.  Markham’s is the longest single-pitcher shutout in World Series history.

Christy Mathewson, Giants … In Game Two of the 1913 World Series (Giants/Athletics), Christy Mathewson pitched a ten-inning, eight-hit, one-walk, five-strikeout shutout as his Giants won 3-0.  Mathewson himself drove in the game’s first run with a single off Athletics’ starter Eddie Plank. (The Giants scored three times in the top of the tenth.)

Clem Labine, Dodgers … In Game Five of the 1956 World Series (Dodgers/Yankees), Clem Labine went ten innings and shutout the Yankees on four hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Bob Turley went the distance for the Yankees, giving up just one run on four hits, with eight walks and 11 whiffs.  Jackie Robinson drove in the only run of the game plating Jim Gilliam with a single with two outs in the bottom of the tenth.

Jack Morris, Twins …  Jack Morris tossed a ten-inning, complete-game shutout as the Twins won Game Seven of the 1991 Series 1-0. Ironman Morris tossed 126 pitches in shutting out the Braves on seven hits, with two walks and eight whiffs.

 

 

Rest?  I’ve Got All Winter to Rest.

When Christy Mathewson threw his still-record three-shutouts in the five-game 1905 World Series, he did it in a span of six days.  On October 9 (Game One), the New Y0rk Giants’ mound giant shutout the Athletics 3-0 on four-hits. On October 12, still in Philadelphia, he whitewashed the A’s 9-0 on another four-hitter; Then, on October 14, he tossed a six-hit shutout in a 2-0 win that gave the Giants the Series four games to one. Notably, every game in the Series saw the winning pitcher go the distance in a shutout.

A few tidbits for trivia buffs:

• Lew Burdette, at one point in the 1957 World Series, threw 24 straight scoreless innings versus a powerful (and favored) Yankee squad;
• Sandy Koufax threw his second 1965 World Series shutouts on just two days rest;
• In the 1960 World Series, the Pirates scored zero runs in Whitey Ford‘s two starts and 27 runs in the other five games. The Yankees scored 22 runs in Ford’s two starts and 33 runs in the other five games;
• Bill Dineen started four games in the best-of-nine 1903 World Series (which went eight games), completed them all and went and went 3-1, 2.06;
• The Pirates’ Deacon Phillippe pitched a World Series record five complete games in the Series, going 3-2, 3.07.

Starting To Become Rare Air

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Lowest Earned Run Average – Single World Series (minimum 18 innings pitched) – 0.00

Christy Mathewson, Waite H0yte, Carl Hubbell, Whitey For

Christy Mathewson … Okay, this is a little repetitive, but it bears repeating. In the 1905 World Series, Giants’ righty Christy Mathewson put up a 0.00 earned run average over 27 innings. In fact, he threw three shutouts in six days.   So, three starts, 27 innings pitched, no runs, 13 hits, one walk and 18 whiffs.  (Keep in mind, in 1905, MLB pitchers average just 3.9 strikeouts per nine frames.)  That season, by the way, Mathewson went 31-9, 1.28 with 32 complete games and eight shutouts in 43 appearances (37 starts).

Waite Hoyte … In 1921, 21-year-old Waite Hoyt (after a 19-13, 3.09 season for the Yankees) was pegged to start Game Two of the World Series (on October 6 versus the rival Giants). Hoyte responded with a two-hit shutout (five walks and five strikeouts) in a 3-0 Yankee win.  Four days later (October 10), with the Series tied at two games apiece), he started again and threw a gutsy ten-hitter giving up just one unearned run as the Yankees won 3-1. In that game, the Giants had runners on base in seven of the nine innings. Hoyte next pitched on October 13 – in the winner-take-all Game Seven and, despite giving up just one unearned run, took the loss in a 1-0 Giants win. In that one, Hoyte gave up six hits and four walks, while fanning seven. The only run scored in the top of the first inning, on an error by shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh.

Carl Hubbell … Hubbell started two games for the Giants, as they topped the Nationals in the 1933 World Series.  He put up a 0.00 ERA over 20 innings.  his efforts included a complete game in a Giants’ 5-2 win in Game One (two unearned runs, five hits, two walks, ten strikeouts) and an 11-inning complete game in Game Four – one unearned run, eight hits, four walks, five strikeouts.

Whitey Ford …  In the 1960 World Series (won by the Pirates over the Yankees in seven games), Whitey Ford pitched in two of the most lopsided shutouts in Series’ history, In Game Three, Ford pitched a four-hit (one walk/three strikeouts) shutout as New York prevailed 10-0. In Game Six, he again blanked the Pirates (seven hits, one walk, five whiffs), as the Yankees won 12-0.

In the 1960 World Series, the Yankees outhit the Pirates .338 to .256, outhomered them 10-4 4, and outscored them 55-27. The Pirates, however, won the Series four games to three.

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Most Innings pitched in a World Series Game -14

Babe Ruth … Babe Ruth pitched 14 innings for the Red Sox in a World Series complete-game, six-hit, 2-1 win (over the Brooklyn Robins) on October 9, 1916. Ruth gave up just six hits (three walks/four strikeouts) over the 14 frames. He also picked up an RBI on a third-inning ground out.

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The Deacon Phillippe Standard Setter

In the 1903 World Series (best-of-nine between the Boston Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates), the Pirates Deacon Phillippe set a host of World Series records – most games started (5), most complete games (5), most innings pitched (44). (The Series went eight games.) He also tied the record for wins in a single World Series (three).

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Most Strikeouts in a World Series Game – 17

Bob Gibson … In the Opening Game of the 1968 World Series (October 8), the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson (facing the Tigers) struck out a World Series’ single-game record 17 hitters – getting each of the nine players in the Tigers’ starting lineup at least once. Gibson threw a five-hit shutout, as St. Louis won 4-0.

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Most Strikeouts in a Single World Series

Bob Gibson … As you might expect, Gibson holds the record for strikeouts in a single World Series (35 in 27 innings pitched in 1968). Gibson also holds the second spot on this list with 31 strikeouts in the 1964 Series (27 innings pitched) and is tied for the number-five spot with 26 strikeouts in the 1967 World Series. At number-three is the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax, with 29 strikeouts in 24 innings in 1965. Number four is the Boston Americans’ Bill Dineen, with 28 strikeouts in 35 innings in 1903.  Tied with Gibson for the five spot are the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants’ Claude “Red” Grier (26 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings in the 1926 Negro league World Series) and the Diamondbacks’ Curt Schilling (26 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings in 200).

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Batters Hit-by-Pitch in a World Series Game   – Four

Lance McCullers, Jr. … McCullers, Jr. started Game Seven of the 2017 World Series for the Astros (versus the Dodgers in LA) and lasted just 2 1/3 innings.  In the bottom of the first, he gave up a leadoff double and, in the course of the inning, hit Dodger 3B Justin Turner and RF Yasiel Puig. (He also fanned a pair of batters – SS Corey Seager and 1B Cody Bellinger.)  He pitched around a single and hit-b -pitch (PH Enrique Hernandez), leaving the inning with a 5-0 lead.

McCullers was lifted with one out in the in the third frame after giving up a single by Seager, hitting Turner with a pitch and fanning Bellinger.  The Astros went on to a 5-1 win, with McCullers getting a no-decision.

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Strikeouts by A Reliever in a World Series Game – 11

Moe Drabowsky … In the Opening Game of the 1966 World Series (October 5) between the Orioles and Dodgers, Drabowsky came on in the bottom of the third inning with the Orioles up 4-1.  The Dodgers, however, had the bases loaded with one out (starter Dave McNally had walked RF Lou Johnson, LF Tommy Davis and 2B Jim Lefebvre in succession). Drabowsky got 1B Wes Parker on a strikeout; walked 2B Jim Gilliam to force in a run; and retired got C Johnny Roseboro on a foul pop up.

Drabowsky went on to fan the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings. Ultimately, he finished the game, pitching 6 2/3 frames – giving up one hit and two walks and fanning 11, as the Orioles won 5-2. Those two runs would be the Dodgers only tallies in the four-game Series.  They lost the final three games by scores of 6-0, 1-0 and 1-0.

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Most Mound Appearances in a Single World Series

The record for pitching appearances in a single World Series in seven, shared by Darold Knowles (1973 A’s) – seven appearances, 6 1/3 innings, two saves and a 0.00 ERA – and Brandon Morrow (2017 Dodgers) – seven appearances, 5 1/3 innings pitched, and an 8.44 ERA.

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Most Hits Allowed in a World Series Game – 16

Ray Brown – The Homestead Grays’ Ray Brown threw a complete-game in the 1942 Negro League World Series Game Three matchup with the Kansas City Monarchs.  The Monarch won the contest 9-6, with Brown giving up a Series-record 16 hits.

Side Note:  If you are looking at just the AL and NL, the most hits allowed belongs to the great Walter Johnson of the Nationals, who gave up 15 hits and nine runs in a complete game 9-7 Game Seven Loss to the Pirates on October 15, 1925.  Johnson had pitched a one-run, five-hitter in wining Game One of the Series and a six-hit shutout in winning Game Four.

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Most Home Runs Allowed in a World Series Game – 5

Lance McCullers, Jr. … In Game Three of the 2022 World Series, Astros’ starter Lance McCullers, Jr. gave up six hits in 4 1/3 innings pitched – and five of those hits ended up in the stands.  (He also fanned five batters.)  McCullers gave up a two-run shot to the Phillie’s DH Bryce Harper in the first; solo homers to both 3B Alec Bohm and CF Brandon Marsh in the second; and a two -run homer to LF Kyle Schwarber, as well as a solo shot to 1B Rhys Hoskins in the fifth. McCullers’ Astros lost the game 7-5.

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Most Walks Allowed in a Word Series Game – Ten

Bill Bevens … On October 3, 1947, the Yankees’ Bill Bevens gave up just one hit (8 2/3 innings) in a 3-2 World Series loss to the Dodgers. Bevens, unfortunately, walked a World Series single-game record ten batters (one intentional), and free passes contributed to all the scoring.

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Most Runs Given Up in a World Series Game – Ten

Brickyard Kennedy … Bill “Brickyard” Kennedy gave up a World Series single-game record ten runs on October 7, 1903, as his Pirates lost to the Boston Americans 11-2. Kennedy was matched up in a scoreless duel with Cy Young through five innings, before giving up six runs – all unearned – on three hits and three errors in the sixth and another four runs (all earned) in the seventh.

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Earned Runs Given Up in a World Series Game – Eight

Grover Cleveland (Pete) Alexander, Ray Brown, Cotton Williams, Jay Witasick

Grover Cleveland Alexander … On October 5, 1928, Grover Cleveland (Pete) Alexander (16-9, 3.36 in the regular season) lasted only 2 1/3 innings against the Yankees – giving up eight runs on six hits (one home run) and four walks, in a game the Yankees won 9-3. The 41-year-old Alexander, with 364 regular-season wins under his belt, pitched just five innings in the Series (a Yankee sweep), giving up 11 runs.

Ray Brown … A little repetition here. The Homestead Grays’ Ray Brown threw a complete-game in the 1942 Negro League World Series Game Three matchup with the Kansas City Monarchs.  The Monarch won the contest 9-6, with Brown giving up a Series-record 16 hits, a total of nine runs of which eight were earned tying another Series record.

Cotton Williams … In Game Three of the 1946 Negro League World Series (Newark Eagles versus Kansas City Monarchs), the Eagles’ Cotton Williams came on in relief to open the fifth inning (with the Eagles trailing 6-2).  Over the next 3 2/3 innings, he gave up 11 hits and nine runs – including a Series record-tying eight earned runs.

Jay Witasick … On November 3, 2001 – in Game Six of the World Series – Yankees’ reliever Jay Witasick came on in the third inning against the Diamondbacks, who already had roughed up starter Andy Pettitte for six runs (on seven hits and two walks) in just two innings. Witasick gave up a record-tying eight earned runs (plus one unearned) in 1 1/3 innings. While he gave up ten hits, Witasick walked none and recorded all four of his outs on strikeouts. Eight of the first nine batters Witasick faced collected base hits (six single and two doubles).

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Most Saves in a Single World Series

John Wetteland … The Yankees’ John Wetteland appeared in five Game in the 1996 World Series – won by the Yankees (over the Braves) four games-to-two. Wetteland picked up four saves in 4 1/3 innings of work (four hits, one run, one walk, six strikeouts).

 

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Retrosheet.org; Baseball-Almanac.com; The World Series (Dial Press/Sports Products, Inc.)

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