List of Major League Baseball all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers
In baseball, a home run (HR) is typically a fair hit that passes over an outfield fence or into the stands at a distance from home base of 250 feet or more, which entitles the batter to legally touch all bases and score without liability.[1][2] Atypically, a batter who hits a fair ball and touches each base in succession from 1st to home, without an error being charged to a defensive player, is credited with an inside-the-park home run.[3][4] If, during a play, defensive or fan interference is called, and the awarded bases allow the batter to cross home plate, the batter is credited with a home run.[3][5]
Wes Ferrell holds the all-time Major League Baseball record for home runs hit while playing the position of pitcher. He hit 37 as a pitcher.[6] Baseball Hall of Famers Bob Lemon and Warren Spahn are tied for second with 35 career home runs apiece.[7][8] Red Ruffing, Earl Wilson, and Don Drysdale are the only other pitchers to hit at least 25 home runs.[9][10][11] Jack Stivetts hit a total of 35 home runs in his playing career, 21 as a pitcher.[12] Madison Bumgarner, with 14 home runs, holds the lead among all active pitchers.
Ferrell also holds the single-season record for home runs by a pitcher, with nine, a mark that he reached in 1931.[6] The record had previously been held by Stivetts, who had hit seven in 1890.[12] Since 1931, six different pitchers have hit seven home runs in a season: Ferrell, Lemon, Don Newcombe, Don Drysdale (twice), Wilson, and Mike Hampton.[6][7][10][11][13][14]
The first pitcher to officially hit a home run was Jack Manning, who accomplished the feat on August 3, 1876.[15] The most home runs by a pitcher in a single game is three, achieved by Jim Tobin on May 13, 1942.[16]
Career
All-time
Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | |
§ |
Active player |
Player | Home runs | Career total | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ferrell, WesWes Ferrell | 37 | 38 | Hit one home run as a pinch hitter. | [6] |
Lemon, BobBob Lemon | 35 | 37 | Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. | [7] |
Spahn, WarrenWarren Spahn | 35 | 35 | [8] | |
Ruffing, RedRed Ruffing | 34 | 36 | Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. | [9] |
Wilson, EarlEarl Wilson | 33 | 35 | Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. | [10] |
Drysdale, DonDon Drysdale | 29 | 29 | [11] | |
Clarkson, JohnJohn Clarkson | 24 | 24 | [17] | |
Gibson, BobBob Gibson | 24 | 24 | [18] | |
Zambrano, CarlosCarlos Zambrano | 24 | 24 | [19] | |
Johnson, WalterWalter Johnson | 23 | 24 | Hit one home run as a pinch hitter. | [20] |
Stivetts, JackJack Stivetts | 21 | 35 | Hit 11 home runs while playing various other positions and three as a pinch hitter. | [12] |
Pappas, MiltMilt Pappas | 20 | 20 | [21] | |
Trout, DizzyDizzy Trout | 20 | 20 | [22] | |
Harshman, JackJack Harshman | 19 | 21 | Hit two home runs as a first baseman. | [23] |
Young, CyCy Young | 18 | 18 | [24] | |
Rowe, SchoolboySchoolboy Rowe | 16 | 18 | Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. | [25] |
Tobin, JimJim Tobin | 16 | 17 | Hit one home run as a pinch hitter. | [16] |
Kaat, JimJim Kaat | 16 | 16 | [26] | |
Hampton, MikeMike Hampton | 16 | 16 | [14] | |
Meekin, JouettJouett Meekin | 15 | 15 | [27] | |
Schumacher, HalHal Schumacher | 15 | 15 | [28] | |
Grove, LeftyLefty Grove | 15 | 15 | [29] | |
Passeau, ClaudeClaude Passeau | 15 | 15 | [30] | |
Nuxhall, JoeJoe Nuxhall | 15 | 15 | [31] | |
Wynn, EarlyEarly Wynn | 15 | 17 | Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. | [32] |
Newcombe, DonDon Newcombe | 15 | 15 | [13] | |
Donovan, DickDick Donovan | 15 | 15 | [33] | |
Cardwell, DonDon Cardwell | 15 | 15 | [34] | |
Ramos, PedroPedro Ramos | 15 | 15 | [35] | |
Wise, RickRick Wise | 15 | 15 | [36] | |
Peters, GaryGary Peters | 15 | 19 | Hit four home runs as a pinch hitter | [37] |
Active
Player | Home runs | Career total | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bumgarner, MadisonMadison Bumgarner§ | 14 | 14 | [38] | |
Gallardo, YovaniYovani Gallardo§ | 12 | 12 | [39] | |
Wood, TravisTravis Wood§ | 10 | 10 | [40] | |
Owings, MicahMicah Owings§ | 7 | 9 | Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. | [41] |
Arroyo, BronsonBronson Arroyo§ | 6 | 6 | [42] | |
Cain, MattMatt Cain§ | 7 | 7 | [43] | |
Greinke, ZackZack Greinke§ | 6 | 6 | [44] | |
Wainwright, AdamAdam Wainwright§ | 6 | 6 | [45] |
Single-season
Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | |
§ |
Active player |
Progression of the single-season record
Player | Home runs | Year | Team | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manning, JackJack Manning | 1 | 1876 | Boston Red Caps | Tied by Jim Devlin (1877),[50] Terry Larkin (1877),[51] and John Montgomery Ward (1878).[52] | [15] |
Ward, John MontgomeryJohn Montgomery Ward | 2 | 1879 | Providence Grays | [52] | |
Whitney, JimJim Whitney | 4 | 1882 | Boston Red Caps | Tied by John Clarkson (1885).[17] | [53] |
Clarkson, JohnJohn Clarkson | 6 | 1887 | Chicago White Stockings | [17] | |
Stivetts, JackJack Stivetts | 7 | 1890 | St. Louis Browns | [12] | |
Ferrell, WesWes Ferrell | 9 | 1931 | Cleveland Indians | [6] |
Single-game
Player | Team | Home Runs | Date | Opposing team | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tobin, JimJim Tobin | Boston Braves | 3 | May 13, 1942 | Chicago Cubs | [16] |
Noah Syndergaard of the New York Mets hit two home runs in one game win against the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3 on May 11 2016. Both of his home runs accounted for all of the team's run in that game. [54]
References
- ↑ Official Baseball Rule, 6.09 (d), page 61
- ↑ Official Baseball Rule, 7.05 (a), page 66
- 1 2 Lundman, Susan. "Definition of a Home Run". livestrong.com. Demand Media, Inc. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
- ↑ Paul Dickson (2011-06-13). The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (Third Edition). W. W. Norton. p. 426. ISBN 978-0-393-34008-2.
- ↑ "Major League Baseball Official Rules: 7.00 The Runner". mlb.com. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Wes Ferrell career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bob Lemon career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 "Warren Spahn career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 "Red Ruffing career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Earl Wilson career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Don Drysdale career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Jack Stivetts career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Don Newcombe career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Mike Hampton career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 "Jack Manning career home runs". baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- 1 2 3 "Jim Tobin career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 "John Clarkson career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Bob Gibson career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 "Carlos Zambrano career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ↑ "Walter Johnson career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Milt Pappas career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Dizzy Trout career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Jack Harshman career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Cy Young career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Schoolboy Rowe career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Jim Kaat career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Jouett Meekin career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 "Hal Schumacher career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Lefty Grove career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Claude Passeau career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Joe Nuxhall career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Early Wynn career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Dick Donovan career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Don Cardwell career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Pedro Ramos career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- 1 2 "Rick Wise career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Gary Peters career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Madison Bumgarner". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Yovani Gallardo career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Travis Wood career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Micah Owings career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Bronson Arroyo career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Matt Cain career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Zack Greinke career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Adam Wainwright career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Statistics". mlb.mlb.com. MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Bill Hutchinson career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
- ↑ "Ferguson Jenkins career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Sonny Siebert career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ↑ "Jim Devlin career home runs". baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ↑ "Terry Larkin career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- 1 2 "John Montgomery Ward career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ↑ "Jim Whitney career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ↑ "Mets' Noah Syndergaard hits two home runs". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2016-09-01.
Bibliography
- Official Baseball Rules (PDF). Major League Baseball. 2011. p. 130.