12 Best MLB Records of all Time

MBL Records in the current era have been so underrated. Do you know any that can be claimed as the best MLB record?

Well, worry not, as we have come with a list of the best MLB records of all time. There are great players in the league, such as Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and many more.

However, to set a record that is and might as well be unbreakable comes very rare. Yet, there are still going to be opportunities to make the unthinkable happen for this era.

Nonetheless, for now, we have dived into the first year of the MLB to provide you with the best MLB record that will leave you in awe.

12 Best MLB Records of all Time

The best MLB record mentioned is assembled based on their popularity, highest one in its category, and dominance. Most of them are compiled in reference to ESPN and MLB.

Further, before jumping into the details about the best MLB record, let us quickly view the names present in the list.

12. Ryan Howard’s 58 Home Runs

Ryan Howard was an absolute beast while entering the MLB. In just his first year, he recorded 22 home runs in 88 games.

As a result, this performance made him the 2005 National League Rookie of the Year. Following such a productive year, he was forecasted to lead in home runs next season.

Indeed, Howard led the 2006 season in home runs and obliterated Schmidt’s record by hitting 58 home runs.

This is by far the best offensive demonstration done by a batsman in any season. Of course, Barry Bonds’s 73 home runs in the 2001 season out shadowed his 58 home runs.

However, for a rookie to display such destructive offensive gameplay is rare and can be seen once in a blue moon.

Therefore, with the list of best MLB records of all time, Ryan Howard’s 58 home runs record is the ideal start.

11. Mark Reynold’s 10 RBIs in One Game

Out of so many fantastic players in the league, the Nationals’ batsman Mark Reynold was the least likely to hold an RBI record.

And to become the 15th player in the leagues’ history to record 10 RBIs was truly a shocker, especially because the veteran had recorded just 14 RBIs in one season.

Hence, for him to record 10 RBIs in just one game make you think if he is the same Reynold that we knew.

However, the former baseball player jumped into the hot tub of youth for the game against Miami. Therefore, Reynold went 5 for 5 while hitting two home runs.

Moreover, the shots he was hitting looked so effortless. No one could have known that this was his first time recording a 10 RBI.

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10. Hack Wilson’s 191 RBIs in a Season 

Whenever the conversation is about an RBIs record set by a batsman, it’s hard not to remember the lights of Hack Wilson.

He was an elite-level player who recorded the highest single-season RBIs, which was 191 back in 1930.

This record has lasted for 90 years, and it’s pretty obvious that it would last for another 90 years. Although many have tried to close the gap, but none of them are successful. 

To elaborate, a batsman has to average at least 10 RBI in each of 162 games to break Wilson’s record. And if you’re an MLB fan, then you surely know how big of a task this is.

Hence, until and unless there is some modification in the current league’s rule, the record will forever be untouched.

Thus, this record deserves to be cherished and remembered as the best MLB record of all time in more ways.             

9. Johnny Vander Meer’s Consecutive No-Hitters

There is simply no breaking this record. It might be a hard catch, but for a pitcher to break this record, they would have to pitch three back-to-back no-hitters, which is impossible. 

No pitcher has been able to even qualify two back-to-back no-hitters, and to expect above that is foolishness.

The task is so hard that even Meer couldn’t achieve this feat after the 1938 season. He did not try, but the task was like finding a needle in a haystack. 

One might argue that it was pure luck in favor of Meer during the 1938 season. However, being as lucky as throwing back-to-back no-hitters is still a huge deal as it comes around once.

Hence, while talking about the best MLB record of all time, everyone should always remember Meer’s spectacular record.

8. Rickey Henderson’s All-Time Stolen Base Record

There are no words to describe the Hall of Famer’s ability to thrill the audience and his teammates.

Stealing bases is no joke as it requires accurate timing and precision. Henderson possessed all the abilities to take the risk and deliver.

He was lightning fast and had a better sense of judgment. Therefore, he led the league in steals every year except his injury-prone season.

Furthermore, he held the record for the highest single-season steals with 130 steals in 1982 and swiped 838 bags overall.

This is most definitely a dominating and surprising record on the list of best MLB records of all time.

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7. Roy Face’s 18-1 Record

Every pitcher’s dream is to go perfect for each game they play. Further, perfection might be impossible to achieve but narrowing the gap is possible.

One such performance was given by a Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Roy Face who finished with an 18-1 record.

Roy was so fearsome that no matter how good the batsman was, they would have doubted their ability to hit his pitch.

Therefore, he was successful enough to record a winning percentage of 0.947. This was one of the years when everything was falling in place for him.

No one could hit his ball or even try to counter it with some smart plays. There were a lot of great batsmen in his era who failed to deliver when the pitcher was Roy.

The fear in most batsmen’s eyes during game time explains why he is the best pitcher of his era.

6. Jim Bottomley’s 12 RBIs in One Game

Such records come once in ages and will forever be compared with new emerging players every season. The Hall of Famer was a powerful batsman and an even intelligent player.

He knew the game so better that rarely he would have any misjudgment, especially when he was as focused as in the game against the Robins with a calm mind.

Therefore, he displayed one of the greatest offensive games of his career. Bottomley went 6 for 6, which recorded 12 runs that day.

As a result, he became the first player to ever do so in the league’s history, where most records of 10 RBI are often heard around the league in various seasons.

A record for 12 RBIs comes once in ages and leaves a legendary mark forever. Hence, even today, Bottomley is compared with many batters in the league. 

5. 37 Home Runs as an AL Pitcher by Wes Ferrell

It’s pretty hypothetical for a pitcher to be a great batsman unless they are a two-way player. However, for just a pitcher to achieve such a feat is extraordinary and to believe such a record would ever be broken is just unacceptable.

Ferell was a great pitcher who occasionally served as a pinch hitter. As a result, he was not a part of the daily rotation. In a much clearer sense, Ferrell’s job was to pitch and fill in the shoes while a batsman was needed.

Hence, no one expected him to be the savior of the day. But, ironically, he was a knight in shining armor who helped his team by hitting home runs.

Therefore, it doesn’t surprise why he is recognized as the pitcher with the most home runs.

If Ferrell had just had more opportunities to bat, he indeed would have recorded more grand slams.

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4. Hank Aaron’s 6,856 Career Total Bases

The late Hank Aaron is simply one of the greatest players ever to play the game of baseball. His career was decorated with multiple incredible accomplishments that are still recalled.

For example, his three thousand career hits that would still stand without his home runs. Likewise, MLB named him an All-star 25 times out of 27 seasons he played.

Overall, the most dominating performance out of these records would be his 6,859 total bases. What’s more, they are by far the most in the league’s history.

To better understand, the Hall of Famer’s total base is 722 more than Stan Musial’s 6,134 as the second place.

Further, the active total-bases leader Albert Pujols is 900 bases behind to close the gap. Therefore, this record seemingly looks unbreakable.

3. Fernando Tatis’ Two Grand Slams in One Inning

A pitcher’s nightmare is when they allow a home run which is already disastrous enough. But to have it twice against the same opponent in the same innings is a backbreaker.

Batsman Fernando Tatis pulled off a remarkable performance against the 1999 Los Angeles Dodgers.

He had two home runs in a single inning, which led him to become the only Major League player to achieve this feat.

In two innings, nothing out of the bush happened for the Cardinals. Hence, the Dodgers were up by a 2-0 lead.

However, things quickly changed as Tatis hit the first grand slam. As a result, the pitcher reloaded and was prepared to go through a much cautious shot.

Nonetheless, nothing mattered for the power hitter as he swung the bat to record his unexpected second grand slam. 

2. Kevin Brown’s 16 Strikeouts in a Playoff Game

The most dominating postseason performance goes to the 1998 San Diego Padres pitcher Kevin Brown.

He was a strikeout machine that demonstrated the single most incredible pitching performance in MLB’s playoff history. He had 16 strikeouts against the Astros in NLDS.

In a general sense, pitching doesn’t get better than that. Further, during the 1998 regular season, Brown recorded 18-7 with a 2.38 run average in 35 starts.

Not to mention, he also led the leagues with 257 strikeouts in 257 innings, which still stands. Despite this fantastic regular season, no one expected him to burst in that way.

As a result, Brown recorded 77 strikes and 21 swings and missed while throwing 119 pitches.

1. Barry Bonds’ 688 Intentional Walks

Despite being a controversial player for all the reasons we all know, Barry Bonds was too good to be true. It got to the point that no pitcher had any strategies to stop him.

As a result, he got a lot of free trips to first base. On top of that, the player recorded the most intentional walks with 688 as a batsman of the 2004 San Francisco Giants.

It was one of the most prolific offensive displays shown in the history of the league. It was almost to a point where pitchers feared facing Bonds.

His ability as a batsman was so legendary that any other player could never match it. Indeed his record made all the other MVP contenders lose hope for the MVP trophy.

Further, in twelve seasons with the Giants, Bonds averaged over 30 home runs each season. In an era filled with power hitters, he stood out extraordinarily.

The Giants player rarely ever got good pitches as no one could crack his solid offense. Therefore, he would stay patient instead of chasing for bases after a hit.

Eventually, this led him to sack up the historic number of walks. No doubt, Bonds’s record of 688 walks in a single season wins the debate on the best MLB record of all time.

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Conclusion

Most MLB records are broken every season, or a new record is set. However, these best MLB records seem nearly untouchable by a player even in the coming years.

As a result, let’s appreciate these individuals for their impressive work and dedication to their field.