List of Major League Baseball career games played as a pitcher leaders
The sharp rise in the importance of relief pitching after 1950, and increased specialization in later decades, has led to a great increase in the number of players with high totals in games as a pitcher. Through the 2023 season, the top 24 players in career games pitched were all relief pitchers whose careers began after 1950, only two of whom were active before 1968; the top three pitchers are all left-handed. Jesse Orosco is the all-time leader in career games played as a pitcher with 1,252.[2][3] Only sixteen different players have pitched in over 1,000 games during their careers.[4]
Key
Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career games played. A blank field indicates a tie. |
Player (2024 Gs) | Number of games played during the 2024 Major League Baseball season |
Throws | Denotes right-handed (R) or left-handed (L) pitcher |
MLB | Total career games played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball |
* | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame |
---|---|
Bold | Denotes active player[a] |
List
- Stats updated as of April 26, 2024.
Rank | Player (2024 Gs) | Throws | Games as pitcher | Other leagues, notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLB | American League | National League | ||||
1 | Jesse Orosco | L | 1,252 | 686 | 566 | |
2 | Mike Stanton | L | 1,178 | 560 | 618 | |
3 | John Franco | L | 1,119 | 0 | 1,119 | |
4 | Mariano Rivera* | R | 1,115 | 1,115 | 0 | |
5 | Dennis Eckersley* | R | 1,071 | 869 | 202 | Held major league record, 1998-1999; held American League record, 1995-2008; held record for right-handed pitchers, 1998-2013 |
6 | Hoyt Wilhelm* | R | 1,070 | 622 | 448 | Held major league record, 1968-1998 |
7 | Dan Plesac | L | 1,064 | 627 | 437 | |
8 | Mike Timlin | R | 1,058 | 894 | 164 | Held American League record, 2008-2009 |
9 | Kent Tekulve | R | 1,050 | 0 | 1,050 | Held National League record, 1986-2004 |
10 | LaTroy Hawkins | R | 1,042 | 525 | 517 | |
11 | Trevor Hoffman* | R | 1,035 | 0 | 1,035 | |
12 | José Mesa | R | 1,022 | 540 | 482 | |
Lee Smith* | R | 1,022 | 251 | 771 | ||
14 | Roberto Hernández | R | 1,010 | 696 | 314 | |
15 | Mike Jackson | R | 1,005 | 650 | 355 | |
16 | Rich Gossage *
|
R | 1,002 | 656 | 346 | |
17 | Lindy McDaniel | R | 987 | 343 | 644 | |
18 | Todd Jones | R | 982 | 530 | 452 | |
19 | David Weathers | R | 964 | 47 | 917 | |
20 | Fernando Rodney | R | 951 | 771 | 180 | |
21 | Francisco Rodriguez | R | 948 | 520 | 428 | |
22 | Rollie Fingers* | R | 944 | 679 | 265 | |
23 | Gene Garber | R | 931 | 104 | 827 | |
24 | Eddie Guardado | L | 908 | 878 | 30 | |
25 | Cy Young* | R | 906 | 390 | 516 | Held major league record, 1905-1968; held American League record, 1902-1911 |
26 | Arthur Rhodes | L | 900 | 666 | 234 | |
27 | Sparky Lyle | L | 899 | 807 | 92 | Held American League record, 1982-1995; held record for left-handed pitchers, 1980-1997; held AL record for left-handed pitchers, 1977-2008 |
28 | Jim Kaat* | L | 898 | 620 | 278 | |
29 | Kyle Farnsworth | R | 893 | 473 | 420 | |
30 | Tom Gordon | R | 890 | 669 | 221 | |
31 | Paul Assenmacher | L | 884 | 379 | 505 | |
32 | Mike Myers | L | 883 | 456 | 427 | Held the single-season record for left-handed pitchers, 1997-2001 (tie) |
33 | Alan Embree | L | 882 | 463 | 419 | |
34 | Jeff Reardon | R | 880 | 352 | 528 | |
35 | Don McMahon | R | 874 | 331 | 543 | |
36 | Joe Smith | R | 866 | 714 | 152 | |
37 | Phil Niekro* | R | 864 | 124 | 740 | |
38 | Charlie Hough | R | 858 | 402 | 456 | |
39 | Billy Wagner | L | 853 | 15 | 838 | |
40 | Roy Face | R | 848 | 2 | 846 | Held National League record, 1967-1986; held NL record for right-handed pitchers, 1966-1986 |
41 | Doug Jones | R | 846 | 574 | 272 | |
42 | Chad Qualls | R | 844 | 153 | 691 | |
43 | Paul Quantrill | R | 841 | 587 | 254 | |
44 | Javier López | L | 839 | 172 | 667 | |
45 | Bob Wickman | R | 835 | 564 | 271 | |
46 | Steve Reed | R | 833 | 201 | 632 | |
47 | Julián Tavárez | R | 828 | 218 | 610 | |
48 | Kenley Jansen (9) | R | 826 | 60 | 766 | |
49 | Tug McGraw | L | 824 | 0 | 824 | Held the National League record for left-handed pitchers, 1982-1998 |
50 | Sergio Romo | R | 821 | 238 | 583 | |
51 | Tyler Clippard | R | 807 | 291 | 516 | |
Nolan Ryan* | R | 807 | 420 | 387 | ||
53 | David Robertson (13) | R | 805 | 675 | 130 | |
54 | Walter Johnson* | R | 802 | 802 | 0 | Held American League record, 1921-1982; held AL record for right-handed pitchers, 1917-1995 |
55 | Francisco Cordero | R | 800 | 417 | 383 | |
56 | Jeff Nelson | R | 798 | 798 | 0 | |
57 | Rick Honeycutt | L | 797 | 606 | 191 | |
58 | Steve Kline | L | 796 | 87 | 709 | Held the single-season record for left-handed pitchers, 2001-2010 |
Bryan Shaw (5) | R | 796 | 567 | 229 | ||
60 | Craig Kimbrel (12) | R | 792 | 224 | 568 | |
61 | Joe Nathan | R | 787 | 656 | 131 | |
62 | Buddy Groom | L | 786 | 749 | 37 | |
63 | Gaylord Perry* | R | 777 | 318 | 459 | |
64 | Jeremy Affeldt | L | 774 | 184 | 590 | |
Don Sutton* | R | 774 | 174 | 600 | ||
66 | Joakim Soria | R | 773 | 687 | 86 | |
67 | Bob Howry | R | 769 | 434 | 335 | |
68 | Darren Oliver | L | 766 | 621 | 145 | |
69 | Mark Guthrie | L | 765 | 397 | 368 | |
Darold Knowles | L | 765 | 470 | 295 | Held record for left-handed pitchers, 1979-1980 | |
71 | Joaquín Benoit | R | 764 | 592 | 172 | |
72 | Armando Benítez | R | 762 | 239 | 523 | |
Kenny Rogers | L | 762 | 750 | 12 | ||
74 | Tommy John | L | 760 | 578 | 182 | |
75 | Octavio Dotel | R | 758 | 331 | 427 | |
76 | Jack Quinn | R | 756 | 563 | 103 | Includes 90 in Federal League |
77 | Ron Reed | R | 751 | 51 | 700 | |
78 | Warren Spahn* | L | 750 | 0 | 750 | Held National League record, 1964-1967; held record for left-handed pitchers, 1964-1979; held NL record for left-handed pitchers, 1964-1982 |
79 | Matt Thornton | L | 748 | 652 | 96 | |
80 | Tom Burgmeier | L | 745 | 745 | 0 | |
Gary Lavelle | L | 745 | 98 | 647 | ||
82 | Willie Hernández | L | 744 | 358 | 386 | |
Greg Maddux* | R | 744 | 0 | 744 | ||
84 | Guillermo Mota | R | 743 | 34 | 709 | |
85 | Steve Carlton* | L | 741 | 46 | 695 | |
Aroldis Chapman (13) | L | 741 | 378 | 363 | ||
87 | Ryan Madson | R | 740 | 171 | 569 | |
Russ Springer | R | 740 | 139 | 601 | ||
89 | Brad Ziegler | R | 739 | 256 | 483 | |
90 | Steve Cishek | R | 737 | 207 | 530 | |
Ron Perranoski | L | 737 | 280 | 457 | Held the single-season record for left-handed pitchers, 1962-1965 | |
92 | Ron Kline | R | 736 | 402 | 334 | |
93 | Rick Aguilera | R | 732 | 520 | 212 | |
Steve Bedrosian | R | 732 | 56 | 676 | ||
Mark Melancon (0) | R | 732 | 56 | 676 | ||
96 | Clay Carroll | R | 731 | 37 | 694 | |
97 | Randy Myers | L | 728 | 164 | 564 | |
98 | Jason Isringhausen | R | 724 | 210 | 514 | |
Mike Marshall | R | 724 | 231 | 493 | Holds the single-season record of 106 (set in 1974); holds the American League single-season record of 90 (set in 1979) | |
100 | Roger McDowell | R | 723 | 105 | 618 | |
John Smoltz* | R | 723 | 8 | 715 |
Other Hall of Famers
Player | Throws | Games as pitcher | Other leagues, notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLB | American League | National League | |||
Pud Galvin* | R | 705 | 0 | 610 | Includes 61 in American Association, 26 in Players' League, 8 in National Association; held major league record, 1888-1905; held the single-season record, 1883-1964 |
Grover Cleveland Alexander* | R | 696 | 0 | 696 | Held National League record, 1928-1964 |
Bert Blyleven* | R | 692 | 587 | 105 | |
Eppa Rixey* | L | 692 | 0 | 692 | Held the National League record for left-handed pitchers, 1928-1964 |
Early Wynn* | R | 691 | 691 | 0 | |
Tom Glavine* | L | 682 | 0 | 682 | |
Robin Roberts* | R | 676 | 113 | 563 | |
Waite Hoyt* | R | 674 | 458 | 216 | |
Red Faber* | R | 669 | 669 | 0 | |
Ferguson Jenkins* | R | 664 | 255 | 409 | |
Bruce Sutter* | R | 661 | 0 | 661 | |
Tom Seaver* | R | 656 | 97 | 559 | |
Christy Mathewson* | R | 636 | 0 | 636 | Held National League record, 1915-1928 |
Red Ruffing* | R | 624 | 624 | 0 | |
Eddie Plank* | L | 623 | 581 | 0 | Includes 42 in Federal League; held American League record, 1911-1921; held AL record for left-handed pitchers, 1902-1906, 1907-1933 |
Kid Nichols* | R | 621 | 0 | 621 | Held National League record, 1905-1915 |
Randy Johnson* | L | 618 | 341 | 277 | |
Herb Pennock* | L | 617 | 617 | 0 | Held the American League record for left-handed pitchers, 1933-1977 |
Burleigh Grimes* | R | 616 | 10 | 606 | |
Lefty Grove* | L | 616 | 616 | 0 | |
Tim Keefe* | R | 600 | 0 | 444 | Includes 126 in American Association, 30 in Players' League |
Ted Lyons* | R | 594 | 594 | 0 | |
Jim Bunning* | R | 591 | 304 | 287 | |
Bob Feller* | R | 570 | 570 | 0 | |
Mickey Welch* | R | 565 | 0 | 565 | |
Jim Palmer* | R | 558 | 558 | 0 | |
Jesse Haines* | R | 555 | 0 | 555 | |
Jack Morris* | R | 549 | 549 | 0 | |
Mike Mussina* | R | 537 | 537 | 0 | |
Rube Marquard* | L | 536 | 0 | 536 | Held the National League record for left-handed pitchers, 1920-1928 |
Carl Hubbell* | L | 535 | 0 | 535 | |
John Clarkson* | R | 531 | 0 | 531 | |
Bob Gibson* | R | 528 | 0 | 528 | |
Charles Radbourn* | R | 527 | 0 | 486 | Includes 41 in Players' League; held the single-season record, 1883-1964 |
Don Drysdale* | R | 518 | 0 | 518 | |
Vic Willis* | R | 513 | 0 | 513 | |
Catfish Hunter* | R | 500 | 500 | 0 | |
Whitey Ford* | L | 498 | 498 | 0 | |
Hal Newhouser* | L | 488 | 488 | 0 | |
Mordecai Brown* | R | 481 | 0 | 411 | Includes 70 in Federal League |
Pedro Martínez* | R | 476 | 203 | 273 | |
Juan Marichal* | R | 471 | 11 | 460 | |
Joe McGinnity* | R | 465 | 73 | 392 | Held American League record, 1901-1902 |
Amos Rusie* | R | 463 | 0 | 463 | |
Bob Lemon* | R | 460 | 460 | 0 | |
Chief Bender* | R | 459 | 386 | 47 | Includes 26 in Federal League |
Clark Griffith* | R | 453 | 153 | 266 | Includes 34 in American Association |
Stan Coveleski* | R | 450 | 450 | 0 | |
Dazzy Vance* | R | 442 | 10 | 432 | |
Ed Walsh* | R | 430 | 426 | 4 | |
Roy Halladay* | R | 416 | 313 | 103 | |
Rube Waddell* | L | 407 | 335 | 72 | |
Satchel Paige* | R | 398 | 179 | 0 | Includes 91 in Negro National League (first), 85 in Negro American League, 43 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
Sandy Koufax* | L | 397 | 0 | 397 | |
Jack Chesbro* | R | 392 | 270 | 122 | |
Lefty Gomez* | L | 368 | 368 | 0 | |
Albert Spalding* | R | 347 | 0 | 65 | Includes 282 in National Association; held major league record, 1872-1879; held the single-season record, 1873-1876 |
Dizzy Dean* | R | 317 | 1 | 316 | |
John Montgomery Ward* | R | 293 | 0 | 293 | |
Andy Cooper* | L | 288 | 0 | 0 | Includes 272 in Negro National League (first), 16 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
Addie Joss* | R | 286 | 286 | 0 | |
Candy Cummings* | R | 242 | 0 | 43 | Includes 199 in National Association; held the single-season record, 1872-1873 |
Bill Foster* | L | 238 | 0 | 0 | Includes 162 in Negro National League (first), 43 in Negro National League (second), 17 in Negro Southern League, 16 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
Bullet Rogan* | R | 214 | 0 | 0 | Includes 211 in Negro National League (first), 3 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
Ray Brown* | R | 213 | 0 | 0 | Includes 181 in Negro National League (second), 16 in Negro National League (first), 16 in East–West League (incomplete) |
Hank O'Day* | R | 201 | 0 | 105 | Includes 53 in American Association, 43 in Players' League |
Babe Ruth* | L | 163 | 163 | 0 | |
Hilton Smith* | R | 158 | 0 | 0 | Includes 157 in Negro American League, 1 in Negro Southern League (incomplete) |
Leon Day* | R | 91 | 0 | 0 | Includes 91 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
José Méndez* | R | 69 | 0 | 0 | Includes 69 in Negro National League (first) (incomplete) |
Martín Dihigo* | R | 60 | 0 | 0 | Includes 31 in Eastern Colored League, 21 in Negro National League (second), 8 in American Negro League (incomplete) |
Smokey Joe Williams* | R | 53 | 0 | 0 | Includes 23 in Eastern Colored League, 18 in American Negro League, 12 in East–West League (incomplete) |
Tommy Lasorda* | L | 26 | 18 | 8 | |
Rube Foster* | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | Unavailable pre-Negro league figures |
References
- ^ A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.
- ^ Section 20 of the official scorer guidelines
- ^ "Jesse Orosco Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ Costello, Rory. "Jesse Orosco Bio". Society For American Baseball Research. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
- ^ "Career Leaders & Records for Def. Games as P". Baseball Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
External links
- "Career Leaders & Records for Def. Games as P". Baseball-Reference.com.