The last .400 season — and he refused to sit on it, going 6-for-8 in a season-ending doubleheader.
Historical baseline
All-Time Records
The marks that legends chase — shown in both the modern AL/NL view and the official MLB record book, which now includes Negro Leagues seasons. This is the record book layer behind every History Score.
Batting Average — single season
.406
Ted Williams · Boston Red Sox · 1941
No one in the AL or NL has hit .400 since Ted Williams in 1941 — 85 seasons and counting. Every serious flirtation with .400 after June is a national story.
Batting title requires 3.1 plate appearances per team game (502 over a full season).
Official MLB record: .466 — Josh Gibson, Homestead Grays, 1943
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Yordan Alvarez |
.317 | .317 | EXTREME |
| 2 | 
Luis Arraez |
.315 | .315 | EXTREME |
| 3 | 
Chandler Simpson |
.312 | .312 | EXTREME |
Home Runs — single season
73
Barry Bonds · San Francisco Giants · 2001
The ladder every slugger climbs: 50 makes a season famous, 60 touches Ruth and Maris, 62 is the 'clean era' AL mark (Judge, 2022), and 73 is Bonds' summit no one has approached since 2001.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Kyle Schwarber |
40 | 47 | EXTREME |
| 2 | 
Pete Crow-Armstrong |
38 | 44 | EXTREME |
| 3 | 
Matt Olson |
37 | 43 | EXTREME |
Hits — single season
262
Ichiro Suzuki · Seattle Mariners · 2004
200 hits defines an elite contact season; 262 is Ichiro's 2004 record, which broke a mark that had stood for 84 years. Nobody has reached 240 since.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Luis Arraez |
166 | 193 | EXTREME |
| 2 | 
Otto Lopez |
166 | 193 | EXTREME |
| 3 | 
Yandy Díaz |
160 | 188 | EXTREME |
RBI — single season
191
Hack Wilson · Chicago Cubs · 1930
Hack Wilson's 191 RBI in 1930 may be the safest record in baseball — no one has driven in 170 since the 1930s. But 130+ still headlines an MVP case.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Sal Stewart |
105 | 122 | EXTREME |
| 2 | 
Alec Burleson |
101 | 118 | EXTREME |
| 3 | 
Jordan Walker |
99 | 115 | EXTREME |
Doubles — single season
67
Earl Webb · Boston Red Sox · 1931
Earl Webb's 67 doubles in 1931 has survived nearly a century. 50 doubles is a star season; 60 has happened only three times since World War II.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Wilyer Abreu |
34 | 40 | EXTREME |
| 2 |
Matt Olson |
33 | 38 | EXTREME |
| 3 | 
Bryan Reynolds |
33 | 38 | EXTREME |
Triples — single season
36
Chief Wilson · Pittsburgh Pirates · 1912
The most extinct stat in baseball: Chief Wilson's 36 triples in 1912 is untouchable in the modern game, where leading the league takes about a dozen. Anyone at 15+ is doing something genuinely rare.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Corbin Carroll |
16 | 19 | EXTREME |
| 2 | 
Jake McCarthy |
8 | 9 | EXTREME |
| 3 |
Otto Lopez |
8 | 9 | EXTREME |
Stolen Bases — single season
130
Rickey Henderson · Oakland Athletics · 1982
Rickey Henderson's 130 steals in 1982 defines a lost style of baseball. Since the bigger-bases era began in 2023, 70+ steals is back in play for the first time in decades.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Nasim Nuñez |
44 | 51 | EXTREME |
| 2 | 
Jazz Chisholm Jr. |
40 | 47 | EXTREME |
| 3 | 
Bobby Witt Jr. |
38 | 44 | EXTREME |
Runs — single season
177
Babe Ruth · New York Yankees · 1921
Ruth crossed the plate 177 times in 1921. In the modern game 120 runs wins most league titles, and 130+ signals a historic offensive engine.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pete Crow-Armstrong |
102 | 119 | EXTREME |
| 2 | 
James Wood |
100 | 115 | EXTREME |
| 3 |
Bryan Reynolds |
95 | 111 | EXTREME |
Total Bases — single season
457
Babe Ruth · New York Yankees · 1921
Total bases is the purest measure of a complete offensive season. Ruth's 457 in 1921 has never been seriously threatened — 400 has happened just twice since 1950.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pete Crow-Armstrong |
306 | 357 | EXTREME |
| 2 |
Yordan Alvarez |
299 | 348 | EXTREME |
| 3 |
Matt Olson |
282 | 329 | EXTREME |
Strikeouts (Pitching) — single season
383
Nolan Ryan · California Angels · 1973
300 strikeouts is the modern pitching unicorn — it has happened only a handful of times this century. Nolan Ryan's 383 in 1973 is the live-ball record.
ERA/rate titles require 1 inning pitched per team game.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Jacob Misiorowski |
227 | 265 | IMPOSSIBLE |
| 2 | 
Dylan Cease |
221 | 258 | IMPOSSIBLE |
| 3 | 
Gavin Williams |
217 | 255 | IMPOSSIBLE |
Saves — single season
62
Francisco Rodriguez · Los Angeles Angels · 2008
Francisco Rodriguez's 62 saves in 2008 required both dominance and a season's worth of perfect opportunities. 50 saves remains the closer's benchmark.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Bryan Baker |
39 | 46 | EXTREME |
| 2 | 
Riley O'Brien |
35 | 41 | EXTREME |
| 3 | 
Cade Smith |
35 | 41 | EXTREME |
Wins (Pitching, live-ball era) — single season
31
Denny McLain · Detroit Tigers · 1968
Pitcher wins are scarcer than ever in the bullpen era: 20 wins now leads baseball most seasons, which makes any run at 25+ a throwback story.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Sonny Gray |
16 | 19 | IMPOSSIBLE |
| 2 | 
Cristopher Sánchez |
16 | 19 | IMPOSSIBLE |
| 3 | 
Foster Griffin |
15 | 18 | IMPOSSIBLE |
Team Wins — single season
116
1906 Cubs / 2001 Mariners · 2001
116 wins — the 1906 Cubs and 2001 Mariners — is the team-season summit. The 2026 pace question: can anyone join the four teams ever to top 110?
Team Home Runs — single season
307
Minnesota Twins · 2019
ERA — single season
1.12
Bob Gibson · St. Louis Cardinals · 1968
Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA in 1968 was so dominant MLB lowered the mound the next season. In the modern game, a sub-2.00 ERA over a full year is a generational season.
ERA/rate titles require 1 inning pitched per team game.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Jacob Misiorowski |
1.97 | — | |
| 2 | 
Cam Schlittler |
2.04 | — | |
| 3 | 
Chris Sale |
2.06 | — |
WHIP — single season
0.74
Pedro Martinez · Boston Red Sox · 2000
Pedro Martinez's 0.74 WHIP in 2000 — fewer than three baserunners per four innings, in the loudest offensive era ever — may be the best rate season a pitcher has had.
Live comparison
Current top challengers
Current, projected, and status versus the record line.
| # | Player | Current | Pace | Status vs record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Jacob Misiorowski |
0.79 | — | |
| 2 | 
Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
0.9 | — | |
| 3 | 
Drew Rasmussen |
0.93 | — |
The October shelf
Postseason records
Career and single-postseason leaders, 1903–2025 (Lahman) · recent Octobers via the curated patch
| Category | Career leader | Total | Single-postseason | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home runs | Manny Ramirez | 29 | Randy Arozarena (2020) | 10 |
| RBI | Bernie Williams | 80 | David Freese (2011) | 21 |
| Hits | Derek Jeter | 200 | Ernie Clement (2025) | 30 |
| Stolen bases | Kenny Lofton | 34 | Arlie Latham (1887) | 15 |
| Strikeouts (P) | Justin Verlander | 241 | Curt Schilling (2001) | 56 |
| Wins (P) | Andy Pettitte | 19 | Randy Johnson (2001) | 5 |
| Saves | Mariano Rivera | 42 | John Wetteland (1996) | 7 |
| Batting average (75+ AB) | Turkey Stearnes | .417 | ||
World Series titles
NYA (27) · SLN (11) · BOS (9) · LAN (8) · NY1 (7)
This day in baseball history
On this date in 2019, Justin Verlander of the Astros threw a no-hitter (one of 3 thrown on this date).
Career clubs census
"One of only N men ever" — counted, not quoted
Membership is computed from floor-free career totals (every plate appearance of every career, through 2025); the chase column is live from the nightly career ledger.
3,000 hits
33 members ever · newest: Miguel Cabrera (through 2023)
Pete Rose, Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, Tris Speaker, Derek Jeter, …
- Freddie Freeman — 2562 438 away
- Jose Altuve — 2477 523 away
- Manny Machado — 2160 840 away
500 home runs
28 members ever · newest: Miguel Cabrera (through 2023)
Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays, …
- Mike Trout — 424 76 away
- Manny Machado — 392 108 away
- Bryce Harper — 387 113 away
600 home runs
9 members ever · newest: Albert Pujols (through 2022)
Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays, …
- Mike Trout — 424 176 away
- Manny Machado — 392 208 away
- Bryce Harper — 387 213 away
2,000 RBI
5 members ever · newest: Albert Pujols (through 2022)
Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols, Babe Ruth, Alex Rodriguez, Cap Anson
- Freddie Freeman — 1376 624 away
- Nolan Arenado — 1238 762 away
- Manny Machado — 1214 786 away
800 stolen bases
5 members ever · newest: Rickey Henderson (through 2003)
Rickey Henderson, Lou Brock, Billy Hamilton, Ty Cobb, Tim Raines
- Trea Turner — 332 468 away
- Jose Altuve — 327 473 away
- José Ramírez — 316 484 away
.300 average & 500 home runs
9 members ever · newest: Miguel Cabrera (through 2023)
Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Manny Ramirez, Jimmie Foxx, Frank Thomas, …
300 homers & 300 steals
8 members ever · newest: Carlos Beltran (through 2017)
Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Bobby Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Andre Dawson, Carlos Beltran, …
Iron-man watch
Consecutive games played
The Gehrig/Ripken list — curated from the record book (no game logs exist in Lahman to derive it). Active streaks are game-log verified at the seed and advanced nightly.
All-time
- Cal Ripken Jr. — 2632
- Lou Gehrig — 2130
- Everett Scott — 1307
- Steve Garvey — 1207
- Miguel Tejada — 1152
- Billy Williams — 1117
- Joe Sewell — 1103
- Stan Musial — 895
Active
- Matt Olson (ATL) — 922 straight · No. 8 all-time 182 from Joe Sewell
- Pete Alonso (BAL) — 557 straight · No. 11 all-time 266 from Gus Suhr
Consecutive-season ladders
Year after year after year
Adjacent seasons only — a war year or a lost season breaks the run, because it broke the run.
.300 / 100 RBI / 100 R / 100 BB / 20 HR seasons
- Frank Thomas — 7 straight (1991–1997)
- Jason Giambi — 4 straight (1999–2002)
- Ted Williams — 4 straight (1946–1949)
- Lou Gehrig — 4 straight (1934–1937)
- Albert Pujols — 3 straight (2008–2010)
30-homer seasons
- Alex Rodriguez — 13 straight (1998–2010)
- Barry Bonds — 13 straight (1992–2004)
- Albert Pujols — 12 straight (2001–2012)
- Jimmie Foxx — 12 straight (1929–1940)
- Carlos Delgado — 10 straight (1997–2006)
- Active: Kyle Schwarber — 6 straight through 2026 (this season already qualifies)
- Active: Pete Alonso — 6 straight through 2026 (this season already qualifies)
100-RBI seasons
- Alex Rodriguez — 13 straight (1998–2010)
- Jimmie Foxx — 13 straight (1929–1941)
- Lou Gehrig — 13 straight (1926–1938)
- Miguel Cabrera — 11 straight (2004–2014)
- Al Simmons — 11 straight (1924–1934)
- Active: Kyle Schwarber — 3 straight through 2025
200-hit seasons
- Ichiro Suzuki — 10 straight (2001–2010)
- Wade Boggs — 7 straight (1983–1989)
- Michael Young — 5 straight (2003–2007)
- Charlie Gehringer — 5 straight (1933–1937)
- Al Simmons — 5 straight (1929–1933)
.300 seasons (400+ AB)
- Tony Gwynn — 16 straight (1984–1999)
- Stan Musial — 13 straight (1946–1958)
- Honus Wagner — 13 straight (1901–1913)
- Lou Gehrig — 12 straight (1926–1937)
- Paul Waner — 12 straight (1926–1937)
200-strikeout seasons
- Tom Seaver — 9 straight (1968–1976)
- Max Scherzer — 8 straight (2012–2019)
- Chris Sale — 7 straight (2013–2019)
- Roger Clemens — 7 straight (1986–1992)
- Walter Johnson — 7 straight (1910–1916)
- Active: Dylan Cease — 6 straight through 2026 (this season already qualifies)
sub-3.00 ERA seasons (150+ IP)
- Eddie Plank — 14 straight (1903–1916)
- Christy Mathewson — 13 straight (1901–1913)
- Walter Johnson — 12 straight (1908–1919)
- Doc White — 10 straight (1902–1911)
- Mordecai Brown — 9 straight (1903–1911)
15-win seasons
- Greg Maddux — 17 straight (1988–2004)
- Cy Young — 15 straight (1891–1905)
- Gaylord Perry — 13 straight (1966–1978)
- Christy Mathewson — 12 straight (1903–1914)
- Warren Spahn — 11 straight (1953–1963)
30-save seasons
- Mariano Rivera — 9 straight (2003–2011)
- Craig Kimbrel — 8 straight (2011–2018)
- Trevor Hoffman — 8 straight (1995–2002)
- Jonathan Papelbon — 7 straight (2006–2012)
- Troy Percival — 7 straight (1998–2004)
The nearest brushes with the line
Closest chases ever
The closest brush since — frozen forever when the strike ended the season in August.
Carried .400 into September before the league caught up.
A .400 average as late as July in the deepest chase of the seventies.
The single-season home run record — the checkpoint curve every modern chase is measured against.
Legendary numbers, settled careers
All-time leaders
Highest career batting average
| # | Player | AVG |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ty Cobb | .366 |
| 2 | Rogers Hornsby | .358 |
| 3 | Shoeless Joe Jackson | .356 |
| 4 | Lefty O'Doul | .349 |
| 5 | Ed Delahanty | .346 |
Most career home runs
| # | Player | HR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barry Bonds | 762 |
| 2 | Hank Aaron | 755 |
| 3 | Babe Ruth | 714 |
| 4 | Albert Pujols | 703 |
| 5 | Alex Rodriguez | 696 |
Most career hits
| # | Player | H |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pete Rose | 4,256 |
| 2 | Ty Cobb | 4,189 |
| 3 | Hank Aaron | 3,771 |
| 4 | Stan Musial | 3,630 |
| 5 | Tris Speaker | 3,514 |
Most career strikeouts
| # | Player | K |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nolan Ryan | 5,714 |
| 2 | Randy Johnson | 4,875 |
| 3 | Roger Clemens | 4,672 |
| 4 | Steve Carlton | 4,136 |
| 5 | Bert Blyleven | 3,701 |
Longest hitting streaks
| # | Player | games |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe DiMaggio (1941) | 56 |
| 2 | Willie Keeler (1897) | 44 |
| 2 | Pete Rose (1978) | 44 |
| 4 | George Sisler (1922) | 41 |
| 5 | Ty Cobb (1911) | 40 |
Most wins in a season (team)
| # | Player | W |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1906 Cubs | 116 |
| 1 | 2001 Mariners | 116 |
| 3 | 1998 Yankees | 114 |
| 4 | 1954 Indians | 111 |
| 5 | 1909 Pirates | 110 |
Curated from the SABR Lahman Baseball Database — retired, settled careers and completed seasons only. Active-career totals live on the player pages, where they update nightly.
The nightly ledger
Every night since launch has a preserved recap page — the chases, the stories, and the historical context exactly as they stood that morning. Browse the daily archive →