The best-hitting MLB pitchers of all time
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And that’s what Wise did in the doldrums of summer in 1971 for his woeful Philadelphia Phillies. And yes, Bumgarner was the only player in 2017 to hit two home runs on opening day, meaning that for one night, a pitcher led the MLB in home runs. Not a bad day at the office for a player who, since that first day of August in 2017, turned into a decent threat at the plate with 26 hits and three more home runs. Just over a year later, Lester took a 91-MPH fastball from Patrick Corbin and deposited it into the left-center bleachers at Wrigley Field.
The most home runs by a pitcher in a single game is three, achieved by Jim Tobin on May 13, 1942. Wes Ferrell holds both the career and season records for home runs by a pitcher. It just wouldn’t have been appropriate not to include a great Ohtani home run. So how about his 40th of the season against the Detroit Tigers? In the midst of throwing eight excellent innings, Ohtani went deep in the top half of the eighth, providing all the cushion he and the Los Angeles Angels would need in a 3-1 victory.
List of Major League Baseball all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers
So much for the notion that pitchers can’t hit the long ball. In 1966 — at 31 years of age — while playing for both the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers, Wilson had 23 hits in 96 at-bats, including seven dingers. To prove this wasn’t a fluke, he would again go yard seven times during the 1968 season. By the time this 6-foot-3 hurler retired in 1970, his 33 career home runs would be the most by a single pitcher in the post-1960 expansion era. One of the game’s all-time best pitchers, The Big Train was also a fearsome hitter in his day. Johnson won 417 games for Washington, six times leading the league in wins.
Of all the changes that a potential 2020 MLB season will bring, a universal DH — and the end of pitchers hitting home runs — could be among the most divisive. Patrick Corbin sets Nationals record for most home runs allowed in a season. Patrick Corbin’s tumultuous 2021 season earned its place in Nationals infamy Tuesday, when the left-hander gave up his 32nd home run of the year.
Which Pitchers Hit the Most Home Runs in MLB History?
Teams with home games in multiple stadiums list aggregate Park Factors. Bartolo Colon is the poster boy for pitchers who can rake. Despite a career .084 average and 166 strikeouts in 299 at-bats, Colon’s infamous home run in May 2016 remains a viral highlight. 3121Has 121 career home runs, but 114 of them are as a designated hitter, and 2 are as a pinch hitter.Statistics obtained from MLB.com.
Red Ruffing entered the Major Leagues as a 19-year-old kid suiting up for the Boston Red Sox, and calling it a career in 1942 at the ripe old age of 42. During those 22 seasons of pro ball, the 6-foot-1 righty ended up to leading the American League in losses and earned runs more times than he managed to lead the league in wins . Still, he did throw 190 strikeouts in 1932, compile a postseason ERA of 2.63, and help the New York Yankees win seven pennants. Ruffing did that as well, jacking four homers in a single season twice and finishing his career with 36 long balls in all.
Walter Johnson (Sept. 5,
Even though Aaron has been able to hit four home runs many people think it was not really his season. In fact, he only hit.256 that year with only 39 homers and 99 RBIs. That is why many consider this game to be part of Hank Aaron's legacy rather than his own. It's worth mentioning that the majority of these pitchers were left-handed hitters. Among those who were left-handed pitchers but not counted here because they only had 30 or more innings pitched as a starter are Bert Blyleven, Jim Bouton, Larry Jackson, and Dock Ellis. With that, Ruth because a more-or-less everyday player and pitcher, the only year that ever happened for him.
Blaeholder is credited with originating the slider, but he apparently did not have it perfected in his time because he gave up 176 home runs in 1914 innings (one/11). Jimmie Foxx reportedly had real trouble hitting Blaeholder, but Lou Gehrig solved him for 13 career homers. There were many well known pitchers who started their careers in the deadball era of the teens who hurled well into the lively ball era. They included Grover Alexander, Eppa Rixey, Burleigh Grimes, Dolf Luque, Herb Pennock, Red Faber, Sam Jones, Carl Mays, Stan Coveleski, and Waite Hoyt.
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Peters won 124 games in a 14-year career and finished with a solid 3.25 ERA. His best season was his rookie campaign in 1963 with the White Sox, one that saw him win Rookie of the Year. He would remain a consistent power threat throughout the rest of his career, finishing up with 19 home runs and a .222 average.
Willis had just nine home runs for his career, but he hit .244 overall and managed a .286 mark in 2007, with an .856 OPS to boot. Willis’ career might have been short, but he made his mark on the mound and in the batter’s box. A Hall of Famer, and one of the best, most intimidating pitchers in baseball history, Gibson was also no slouch when it came to hitting.
Red Ruffing was the first hurler to give up 200 home runs, a milestone he reached in 1940 with the assistance of Jimmie Foxx, who was responsible for 18 of those blasts. Ted Lyons was next to reach the 200 mark in 1941 and Carl Hubbell followed in 1942. None of these players had the highest frequency for the period, however. That role was played by right-hander George Blaeholder, who worked much of his career for the lowly St. Louis Browns between 1925 and 1936.
He was reluctant to become a pitcher because he liked playing every day. But in 1935, when it seemed clear that Walters was going to lose the third-base battle in Philadelphia, he somewhat unhappily agreed to pitch. He showed some promise, but when the Phillies traded him to Cincinnati, he came into his own. In '39, Walters won the NL MVP Award as a dominant pitcher, who had his best year at the plate. Ruth homered that day, so the Red Sox put him at first base again the next day in Washington. This time he hit a home run so far over the right-field wall that the Washington Times reported "the ball tumbling into a war garden and splashing a bunch of onion sets."
With all this proliferation in home runs, were there any hurlers in this most recent era to hold the sluggers in check? Bob Veale did a remarkable job in a fairly short career, allowing only 91 homers in 1926 innings (one/21). R. Richard was doing very well before his illness with 73 homers in 1606 innings. Among longer service pitchers still active, Nolan Ryan tops the list with 159 home runs in 2926 innings (one/18.4). Tommy John, a sinker-ball pitcher who has had the best record in the AL the last two seasons, is also building a good career record. Mike Garcia and Dean Chance were two hurlers in the earlier parts of this period who compiled good records.
The Major League Baseball record for the most home runs allowed by any pitcher belongs to Jamie Moyer . He gave up home runs while pitching for eight different teams across both leagues. There’s a big difference between Game 7 of the NLCS and opening day, but “Mad Bum” is different. Maybe the most well-known hitting pitcher of the past decade, Bumgarner got the opening day nod for the San Francisco Giants in 2017 and delivered a memorable day at the plate. Because he hit one of the most historically significant home runs by a pitcher in 1916. On that day, Johnson hit his one and only home run of the season in a ho-hum 2-0 win over the New York Yankees.
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