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Wes Ferrell holds both the career and season records for home runs by a pitcher.

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 plate 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 once held 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] [9] Red Ruffing, Earl Wilson, and Don Drysdale are the only other pitchers to hit at least 25 home runs. [10] [11] [12] Jack Stivetts hit a total of 35 home runs in his playing career, 21 as a pitcher. [13] Ferrell and Ruffing also rank among the top pitchers in batting average, hitting .280 and .269, respectively. [14]

As of the 2023 season, Shohei Ohtani, holds the lead among all active pitchers. Madison Bumgarner, with 19 home runs, holds the lead among all active pitchers that exclusively do so. [15] Bumgarner also has hit the second most home runs by a pitcher since the American League adopted the designated hitter rule in 1973 (behind Carlos Zambrano). Bumgarner has played most of his career thus far for the San Francisco Giants of the National League, and is currently playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Starting with the 2022 season, the National League also adopted the designated hitter rule, so most pitchers will no longer bat, except two-way players, such as Shohei Ohtani.

Ferrell, who had a career slash line of .280/.351/.446, had his best offensive year in 1931, when he set the single-season record for home runs by a pitcher with nine. [6] [16] The record had previously been held by Stivetts, who had hit seven in 1890. [13] Since 1931, six different pitchers have hit seven home runs in a season: Ferrell, Lemon, Don Newcombe, Don Drysdale (twice), Wilson, and Mike Hampton. [17] [8] [11] [12] [18] [19]

Babe Ruth started his major league career as a pitcher before moving to the outfield. Only 14 of his 714 career home runs were hit as a pitcher, however. [20]

The first pitcher to officially hit a home run was Jack Manning, who accomplished the feat on August 3, 1876. [21] The most home runs by a pitcher in a single game is three, achieved by Jim Tobin on May 13, 1942. [22]

Career

All-time

A baseball player is shown his chest up, holding a baseball with his right hand.
Bob Lemon hit 35 of his 37 career home runs as a pitcher.
A baseball player is shown leaning forward as if in the act of throwing a baseball.
Warren Spahn hit all 35 of his career home runs as a pitcher.
A baseball player is shown from the chest up smiling into the camera.
Walter Johnson hit 23 of his 24 career home runs as a pitcher.
Key to symbols in player table
†
 Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bold Denotes active player. [a]
Most home runs by a pitcher in a career, and their career total including home runs at other positions
Player Home runs Career total Notes Ref
Wes Ferrell 37 38 Hit one home run as a pinch hitter. [17]
Bob Lemon† 35 37 Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. [8]
Warren Spahn† 35 35 [9]
Red Ruffing† 34 36 Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. [10]
Earl Wilson 33 35 Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. [11]
Don Drysdale† 29 29 [12]
John Clarkson† 24 24 [23]
Bob Gibson† 24 24 [24]
Carlos Zambrano 24 24 [25]
Walter Johnson† 23 24 Hit one home run as a pinch hitter. [26]
Jack Stivetts 21 35 Hit 11 home runs while playing various other positions and three as a pinch hitter. [13]
Milt Pappas 20 20 [27]
Dizzy Trout 20 20 [28]
Jack Harshman 19 21 Hit two home runs as a first baseman. [29]
Madison Bumgarner 19 19 [30]
Cy Young† 18 18 [31]
Schoolboy Rowe 16 18 Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. [32]
Jim Tobin 16 17 Hit one home run as a pinch hitter. [22]
Jim Kaat† 16 16 [33]
Mike Hampton 16 16 [19]
Jouett Meekin 15 15 [34]
Hal Schumacher 15 15 [35]
Lefty Grove† 15 15 [36]
Claude Passeau 15 15 [37]
Joe Nuxhall 15 15 [38]
Early Wynn† 15 17 Hit two home runs as a pinch hitter. [39]
Don Newcombe 15 15 [18]
Dick Donovan 15 15 [40]
Don Cardwell 15 15 [41]
Pedro Ramos 15 15 [42]
Rick Wise 15 15 [43]
Gary Peters 15 19 Hit four home runs as a pinch hitter [44]

Active

An action photograph of a baseball player pitching a baseball.
Madison Bumgarner leads active pitchers with 19 home runs.
Most home runs in a career by active pitchers, and their career total including home runs at other positions
Player Home runs Career total Notes Ref
Madison Bumgarner 19 19 Only pitcher to hit two home runs on Opening Day. [45] [46]
Zack Greinke 9 9 Hit two home runs in consecutive at-bats against the San Diego Padres on April 2, 2019—a three-run homer off of Eric Lauer in the fourth, and a solo shot off Adam Warren in the sixth. This happened exactly two years after Bumgarner's two-home run opening day game, a game in which he hit one of his home runs off of Greinke. [47]
Shohei Ohtani 8 170 Has 155 career home runs, but 157 of them are as a designated hitter, and 2 are as a pinch hitter. [48]
Noah Syndergaard 6 6 First pitcher to hit a home run in a 1-0 complete game shutout since Bob Welch in 1983. [49] [50]
Michael Lorenzen 4 7 Has hit 7 career home runs, but only 4 while playing in the pitcher position. While Lorenzen sometimes plays outfield, his other 3 home runs were as a pinch hitter. Lorenzen hit home runs on back-to-back nights against the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018—a solo home run as pitcher on June 29, and a grand slam as a pinch hitter on June 30. [51]
Stephen Strasburg 4 4 Hit a home run as one of his two third-inning hits against the Braves on July 18, 2019. He was only the fifth pitcher in the last 50 years to record two hits in the same MLB inning. [52]
  • Statistics obtained from MLB.com. [53] Updated through August 28, 2022.

Single-season

A full body photograph of a baseball player in uniform.
Jack Stivetts hit 7 home runs, as a pitcher, in 1890.
A full body photograph of a baseball player in uniform in a pitching motion.
Mike Hampton hit 7 home runs in 2001 for the Colorado Rockies.
Key to symbols in player table
†
 Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bold Denotes active player. [a]
Most home runs by a pitcher in a season, their total home runs, year, and team
Player Home runs Season total Year Team Ref
Wes Ferrell 9 9 1931 Cleveland Indians [17]
Jack Stivetts 7 7 1890 St. Louis Browns [13]
Wes Ferrell 7 7 1933 Cleveland Indians [17]
Bob Lemon† 7 7 1949 Cleveland Indians [8]
Don Newcombe 7 7 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers [18]
Don Drysdale† 7 7 1958 Los Angeles Dodgers [12]
Don Drysdale† 7 7 1965 Los Angeles Dodgers [12]
Earl Wilson 7 7 1968 Detroit Tigers [11]
Mike Hampton 7 7 2001 Colorado Rockies [19]
John Clarkson† 6 6 1887 Chicago White Stockings [23]
Bill Hutchison 6 6 1894 Chicago Colts [54]
Hal Schumacher 6 6 1934 New York Giants [35]
Wes Ferrell 6 7 1935 Boston Red Sox [17]
Jack Harshman 6 6 1956 Chicago White Sox [29]
Jack Harshman 6 6 1958 Baltimore Orioles [29]
Earl Wilson 6 6 1965 Boston Red Sox [11]
Earl Wilson 6 7 1966 Boston Red Sox/ Detroit Tigers [11]
Ferguson Jenkins† 6 6 1971 Chicago Cubs [55]
Sonny Siebert 6 6 1971 Boston Red Sox [56]
Rick Wise 6 6 1971 Philadelphia Phillies [43]
Carlos Zambrano 6 6 2006 Chicago Cubs [25]

Progression of the single-season record

A baseball player is shown attempting to catch a baseball.
John Clarkson tied the single-season record in 1885 with four, then broke it by hitting six in 1887.
Progression of the single-season home run record by a pitcher, their home run total, year, and team
Player Home runs Year Team Notes Ref
Jack Manning 1 1876 Boston Red Caps Tied by Jim Devlin (1877), [57] Terry Larkin (1877), [58] and John Montgomery Ward (1878). [59] [21]
John Montgomery Ward† 2 1879 Providence Grays [59]
Jim Whitney 4 1882 Boston Red Caps Tied by John Clarkson (1885). [23] [60]
John Clarkson† 6 1887 Chicago White Stockings [23]
Jack Stivetts 7 1890 St. Louis Browns [13]
Wes Ferrell 9 1931 Cleveland Indians [17]

Single-game

Most home runs by a pitcher in a game, team, home runs, date of game, and opposing team
Player Team Home Runs Date Opposing team Ref
Jim Tobin Boston Braves 3 May 13, 1942 Chicago Cubs [22]

Notes

  1. ^ a b A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.

References

  1. ^ Official Baseball Rule, 6.09 (d), page 61
  2. ^ Official Baseball Rule, 7.05 (a), page 66
  3. ^ a b Lundman, Susan. "Definition of a Home Run". livestrong.com. Demand Media, Inc. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  4. ^ Paul Dickson (2011-06-13). The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (Third ed.). W. W. Norton. p. 426. ISBN  978-0-393-34008-2.
  5. ^ "Major League Baseball Official Rules: 7.00 The Runner". mlb.com. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Vincent, David (Spring 2012). "Pitchers Dig the Long Ball". The Baseball Research Journal. 41 (1). The Society for American Baseball Research: 7. ISBN  978-1-933599-32-8. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  7. ^ Elman, Jake (June 21, 2010). "Which Pitchers Hit the Most Home Runs in MLB History?". Broadcasting. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d "Bob Lemon career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Warren Spahn career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  10. ^ a b "Red Ruffing career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "Earl Wilson career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Don Drysdale career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Jack Stivetts career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  14. ^ Davids, L. Robert (1979). "Career Batting Records: From Great Hitting Pitchers" (PDF). SABR. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 26, 2017.
  15. ^ Harrigan, Thomas. "This is each position's top home run hitter". MLB.com. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  16. ^ Johnson, Frank (October 10, 2018). "Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Pitcher Hits Triple!". The Hardball Times. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d e f "Wes Ferrell career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  18. ^ a b c "Don Newcombe career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  19. ^ a b c "Mike Hampton career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  20. ^ "Babe Ruth career home runs". baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Jack Manning career home runs". baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  22. ^ a b c "Jim Tobin career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  23. ^ a b c d "John Clarkson career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  24. ^ "Bob Gibson career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  25. ^ a b "Carlos Zambrano career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  26. ^ "Walter Johnson career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  27. ^ "Milt Pappas career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  28. ^ "Dizzy Trout career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  29. ^ a b c "Jack Harshman career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  30. ^ "Madison Bumgarner career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  31. ^ "Cy Young career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  32. ^ "Schoolboy Rowe career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  33. ^ "Jim Kaat career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  34. ^ "Jouett Meekin career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  35. ^ a b "Hal Schumacher career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  36. ^ "Lefty Grove career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  37. ^ "Claude Passeau career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  38. ^ "Joe Nuxhall career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  39. ^ "Early Wynn career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  40. ^ "Dick Donovan career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  41. ^ "Don Cardwell career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  42. ^ "Pedro Ramos career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  43. ^ a b "Rick Wise career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  44. ^ "Gary Peters career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  45. ^ "Madison Bumgarner becomes first pitcher to hit two home runs on Opening Day". ESPN.go.com. Associated Press. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  46. ^ "Madison Bumgarner". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  47. ^ "Zack Greinke career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  48. ^ "Shohei Ohtani". Fangraphs. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  49. ^ Armstrong, Kevin (2 May 2019). "'One of the Rarest Things in Baseball': Noah Syndergaard Does It All". nytimes.com. NY Times. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  50. ^ "Noah Syndergaard career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  51. ^ "Michael Lorenzen career home runs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  52. ^ "Stras is 5th pitcher in 50 years to do this ... at bat". [[MLB.com|]]. MLB. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  53. ^ "Statistics". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  54. ^ "Bill Hutchison career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  55. ^ "Ferguson Jenkins career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  56. ^ "Sonny Siebert career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  57. ^ "Jim Devlin career home runs". baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  58. ^ "Terry Larkin career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  59. ^ a b "John Montgomery Ward career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  60. ^ "Jim Whitney career home runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2014.

Bibliography

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