The primary job of a leadoff hitter is to get on base so his teammates can drive him in. Of course, the batter atop a lineup also simply can start things off by driving himself in, too. After all, there’s no better way for an offense to open a game

Unlike the batter's Triple Crown, where the rare combination of hitting for power and a high average led to a nearly five-decade gap between the most recent two winners, the pitcher's Triple Crown is slightly more common. However, leading one's league in wins, ERA and strikeouts isn't exactly a walk

Only the greatest pitchers in Major League history have reached 3,000 strikeouts. The club now has 19 members, though Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw could become No. 20 at some point in 2025. Kershaw recorded 24 strikeouts over 30 innings in the 2024 regular season, missing significant time while recovering from

The marvel of the 30-30 club is predicated on the rare combination of speed and power it takes to swipe 30 bases and bash 30 homers in the same season. Shohei Ohtani became the first player this season to reach the 30-30 mark. The Dodgers' superstar did so in his

Every big league manager would love the luxury of being able to pencil a 40-homer slugger and a 40-steal speedster into their lineup. But what if the slugger and the speedster were the same guy? Shohei Ohtani was that player for the Dodgers in 2024. After stealing no more than

The home run has endured as one of sports' most exciting plays throughout Major League Baseball's lengthy history. With one swing of the bat, a player can alter the course of a game, and some of the most prolific home run hitters had a penchant for doing so more than

While the 500-homer club boasts sluggers such as Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Ernie Banks, the 400-homer club offers us a glimpse into one of baseball's superglues: a diversity of skills. The 400-homer club features athletic stars like the 5-foot-9 Mel Ott and the switch-hitting Chipper Jones. It includes players

Hitting one grand slam in a season is hard enough. But hitting a large handful of them? That takes an incredibly rare combination of both skill and a little luck. From 1901 -- the season the American League began play -- through 2024, a total of 163 different players have

The 3,000-hit club is one of the most famous, and one of the most exclusive, in all of baseball. The players who have gotten 3,000 hits in the Major Leagues are few and far between. They are legends of the game -- nearly all of the 33 members are Hall

Getting a hit in a Major League game is unquestionably one of the most difficult things to do in professional sports. Now imagine trying to do that six times in a nine-inning game -- a task made all the more difficult because you're also dependent upon your teammates having big

More than two decades ago, on Sept. 7, 1993, "Hard Hittin'" Mark Whiten had one of the greatest offensive performances in Major League history. Not only did Whiten connect for four of the 105 homers he'd hit over his 11-year career, he also tied a 69-year-old record with 12 RBIs

Three up, three down, with all three batters struck out on three pitches each. While the "immaculate inning" isn't nearly as rare as it once was -- there were none from 1929-52 and seven alone in 2022 -- any pitcher who can plow through a big league lineup on nine

The no-hitter remains one of the most notable feats in baseball. Even if it seems like no-hitters are on the rise, there is an argument that isn't the case, and no matter how you slice it, it is one of the game's greatest achievements to get 27 or more outs

Getting four knocks in one day is memorable for even the best hitters. But getting a hit of each kind -- a single, double, triple and homer -- in the same game? That's something special. How special? It's only happened once in postseason history, when the Red Sox's Brock Holt

There are currently 18 players in Major League Baseball history who have hit four home runs in a single game. Here is a breakdown of every time it's happened: J.D. Martinez, D-backs, Sept. 4, 2017 The D-backs acquired Martinez from the Tigers in mid-July to add pop to their lineup,

When a player approaches 30 homers at the All-Star break -- the unofficial, if not actual, midpoint of the season -- the excitement of a potential 60-plus-homer season really swings into gear. "I think it's something definitely to be proud of," said Chris Davis, who tied the American League record

Here is a complete list of the players who homered in their first Major League at-bat (^ = homered on the first pitch they saw). ? Jhonkensy Noel, Guardians, June 26, 2024 Watch > ? Jasson Domínguez, Yankees, Sept. 1, 2023 Watch > ? Weston Wilson, Phillies, Aug. 9, 2023

Here's a breakdown of MLB's longest home run streaks.

Connecting for a homer is a difficult enough feat in baseball. Getting the chance at a second at-bat in an inning, and then going yard again is a truly remarkable -- and historic -- achievement. Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker is the most recent of the 60 different players who have

Even for the best sluggers in baseball, reaching 10 homers in one calendar month is a notable achievement. But 15 or more? It doesn’t happen often. 20? Only one man in MLB history has done that: Sammy Sosa in June 1998. These are the Major League records for the most

The number of four-strikeout frames -- made possible when a hitter takes first base after a third strike is dropped by the catcher plus either first is vacant or there are two outs -- has grown exponentially in the 21st century. While there were no such achievements by a pitcher

Throwing a no-hitter is hard enough for a crafty veteran. But what about the pitchers on the other end of the age and experience spectrum? Consider these numbers, each of which are for AL/NL pitchers in the Modern Era (since 1900):

• Just two pitchers have thrown an individual no-hitter

When it comes to three-homer games, fans tend to remember the ones that happened at the end of the season. Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Albert Pujols and Pablo Sandoval all come to mind for their tater trios in World Series play. But it may surprise you to learn that only