MLB's Strangest Records

[edtiques]

Oddities on the Diamond: MLB's Strangest Records! 🤯⚾🤪
Baseball is a sport steeped in statistics, but sometimes, the numbers tell a story that's far from ordinary. Beyond home run kings and strikeout artists, the game's long history includes some truly "strangest MLB records" – bizarre, unique, or downright baffling achievements that stand alone in the record books.
Here are MLB's strangest records:
Albert Pujols (Most Times Grounding Into DP): The Hall of Fame slugger has the unfortunate distinction of holding the record for the most times grounding into a double play (DP) in MLB history. A testament to his longevity, but also a strange record for a dominant hitter.
Tony Cloninger (Only Pitcher w/ 2 Grand Slams): In a truly bizarre and unique feat, pitcher Tony Cloninger holds the record as the only pitcher in MLB history to hit two grand slams in one game (July 3, 1966). An offensive outburst unheard of for a pitcher.
Nolan Ryan (Most No-Hitters): "The Ryan Express" holds a record that seems unbreakable: he pitched 7 no-hitters in his career, more than any other pitcher in MLB history. His dominance defies belief.
Gino Cimoli (Most Passes By Catcher): The detail "Most Passes By Catcher" for Gino Cimoli is unusual. This would refer to a specific, perhaps statistical quirk, where a player (likely a baserunner) was involved in the most passed balls by a catcher in a particular context, highlighting a strange statistical niche. (Needs more specific context to be less ambiguous).
Longest Game (Innings) (26 - PAWSOX): The longest professional baseball game by innings was a minor league game in 1981 between the Pawtucket Red Sox (PawSox) and the Rochester Red Wings, lasting 26 innings. A marathon that set an enduring record.
Hughie Jennings (Most HBP in a Career): Hughie Jennings, a Hall of Famer from the early 20th century, holds the incredibly painful record for the most times hit by a pitch (HBP) in a career, a testament to his willingness to stand close to the plate.
Eric Gagne (HBP w/ Bases Loaded to End WS): In a truly bizarre and devastating moment, Eric Gagne (pitching for the Texas Rangers against the San Francisco Giants) recorded the only HBP with bases loaded to end a World Series in 2002. A walk-off hit-by-pitch is a uniquely painful way to lose.
Larry Walker (Most Trips to First Without Hit - 10): The Hall of Famer Larry Walker holds the unique record for making the most trips to first base without recording a hit in a single game (10 times via walks/hit by pitch) – a testament to his incredible plate discipline.
Anthony Young (Most Consecutive Losses - 27): Pitcher Anthony Young holds the infamous record for the most consecutive losses by a pitcher with 27 from 1992-1993, a heartbreaking streak of bad luck and poor performance.
Sammy Sosa (Most K's in a Game (Hitter) - 5, 3x): While a prolific home run hitter, Sammy Sosa also holds the record for most strikeouts in a game (5) multiple times (3x), highlighting a strange dichotomy in his hitting profile.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Most wild pitches in a season: 83 (Mark Baldwin, Columbus)

That's one I don't think will ever be broken!

[cgjackson222]

Interesting list. Poor Hughie Jennings, getting beaned so much.

I think a bunch of players have struck out 6x in a game though:
https://www.statmuse.com/mlb/ask/mos...tter-in-a-game

[Beercan collector]

I’m confused about the Nolan Ryan and Larry Walker records,
Nolan Ryan has 12 complete game one hitters and he’s takien five games into the ninth-inning before giving up a hit And the record for getting on base in a single game is nine.
My poorly wired brain probably processing wrong,
If Someone can explain those two - Thank you

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by Beercan collector

I’m confused about the Nolan Ryan and Larry Walker records,
Nolan Ryan has 12 complete game one hitters and he’s takien five games into the ninth-inning before giving up a hit And the record for getting on base in a single game is nine.
My poorly wired brain probably processing wrong,
If Someone can explain those two - Thank you

I think the Nolan Ryan record is just what you said. It's 12 complete game 1 hitters. The way they worded it is just strange.

I don't understand the Walker record either.

[John1941]

I think the Walker record is most times getting on base by a walk or HBP without a hit.

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by John1941

I think the Walker record is most times getting on base by a walk or HBP without a hit.

I think that is what they are saying.

But I thought the record was 7, by Bryce Harper?
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...s-official-bat

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

I think that is what they are saying.

But I thought the record was 7, by Bryce Harper?

AI is not particularly helpful here (lol):

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

AI is not particularly helpful here (lol):

Hahahaha—George “Piano Legs” Waddell!! Gotta love AI

[Beercan collector]

Originally Posted by John1941

I think the Walker record is most times getting on base by a walk or HBP without a hit.

I understand that part OK, it’s the 10 trips to first base in a single game that’s tripping me up - That should translate to 10 times on base in a single game, unless “trips to first base” means something else.
Oh well

[nolemmings]

"Eric Gagne (HBP w/ Bases Loaded to End WS): In a truly bizarre and devastating moment, Eric Gagne (pitching for the Texas Rangers against the San Francisco Giants) recorded the only HBP with bases loaded to end a World Series in 2002. A walk-off hit-by-pitch is a uniquely painful way to lose."

Huh? Those two teams did not face each other in the 2002 World Series; Gagne pitched for Texas less than one season in 2007 and appeared for Boston in the World Series that year against Colorado. He recorded no HBP and his team won. It was his only World Series.

[John1941]

Originally Posted by Beercan collector

I understand that part OK, it’s the 10 trips to first base in a single game that’s tripping me up - That should translate to 10 times on base in a single game, unless “trips to first base” means something else.
Oh well

I missed the "single game" part of the writeup first time through. Yeah, that would be weird. Additionally, in a quick search I found no confirmation that Walker got on base ten times without a hit across multiple games either.

Something's off.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

"Eric Gagne (HBP w/ Bases Loaded to End WS): In a truly bizarre and devastating moment, Eric Gagne (pitching for the Texas Rangers against the San Francisco Giants) recorded the only HBP with bases loaded to end a World Series in 2002. A walk-off hit-by-pitch is a uniquely painful way to lose."

Huh? Those two teams did not face each other in the 2002 World Series; Gagne pitched for Texas less than one season in 2007 and appeared for Boston in the World Series that year against Colorado. He recorded no HBP and his team won. It was his only World Series.

Good catch. A Google search indicates that no World Series game has ever ended on a hit by pitch.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by jayshum

Good catch. A Google search indicates that no World Series game has ever ended on a hit by pitch.

The fact that it was wrong on so many of the details made me wonder if it was somehow AI generated. AI does say that such an event occurred, without identifying the circumstances. Sure enough, when I googled "world series end on hbp" AI said this:


The video they show is also artificially created-- a video game that never happened. Finally, the reddit reference to the HBP walk-off sends you to another video game, where some player beat another in a World Series game between the Minnesota Twins and the Miami Marlins! I have a better chance of being present for the apocalypse than those two teams have in meeting in the World Series.

AI is the future-- things don't have to exist or ever have existed-- we will create reality for you.

[KJA]

Sammy doesn't hold the record of 5 K's in a game. The record is 6 in a game and it's been done by 8 hitters, with Geoff Jenkins being the last to do it. But if we are talking most in a 9 inning game then it is 5 times but it has been by quite a few hitters, I believe Cal Raleigh was the last to do it this month.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by KJA

Sammy doesn't hold the record of 5 K's in a game. The record is 6 in a game and it's been done by 8 hitters, with Geoff Jenkins being the last to do it. But if we are talking most in a 9 inning game then it is 5 times but it has been by quite a few hitters, I believe Cal Raleigh was the last to do it this month.

Is Sosa the only one to do it 3 times?

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Beercan collector

I understand that part OK, it’s the 10 trips to first base in a single game that’s tripping me up - That should translate to 10 times on base in a single game, unless “trips to first base” means something else.
Oh well

The Johnny Burnett 9 hit game had a couple of other oddities as well.

In the 18 inning contest, there were a total of 58 hits. (What's the single game record?) 33 hits is the record for a single team and yes it was in this game. I suspect that 58 is the record for a single game for both teams, but I'm not sure.

The winning pitcher for Philadelphia was Eddie Rommel who won the game in relief. As the winning pitcher he walked 9 batters and gave up 29 hits, which must be some sort of record for relief pitchers. How was this accomplished. He entered the game in the second inning. There is no reported pitch count. He had been a starting pitcher early in his career with several seasons pushing 300 innings.

The 17 innings of relief in this game was at the age of 34. 1932 was his last year of pitching. No doubt the cause of his retirement was a sore arm. He did not win another game in 1932.

For more detail

https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/july...ning-slugfest/

[KJA]

Originally Posted by jayshum

Is Sosa the only one to do it 3 times?

Sosa has actually done it 4 times. A couple have done it 3 times, those being Ray Lankford, Aaron Judge and Javier Baez.

I'm Surprised players like Adam Dunn, Mark Reynolds or Chris Davis aren't on that list. Adam Dunn does have the most 3 strikeout games though.

[edtiques]

.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by edtiques

Oddities on the Diamond: MLB's Strangest Records!

Eric Gagne (HBP w/ Bases Loaded to End WS): In a truly bizarre and devastating moment, Eric Gagne (pitching for the Texas Rangers against the San Francisco Giants) recorded the only HBP with bases loaded to end a World Series in 2002. A walk-off hit-by-pitch is a uniquely painful way to lose.

Except that the Anaheim Angels and not the Texas Rangers were the 2002 World Series opponents of the San Francisco Giants.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Except that the Anaheim Angels and not the Texas Rangers were the 2002 World Series opponents of the San Francisco Giants.

Yup...and the Giants didn't win the 2002 Series, either.

Trusting AI for baseball-specific info is like:

Sending your vintage cards to a company and having someone (who has been collecting for three years and only knows modern shiny crap) grade it.