Hit by Pitch Single Season American League Leaders on Baseball Almanac

Single Season Leaders for Hit By Pitch in the American League

These are the American League ballplayers that were there — really there. So close in fact that they were hit by the pitch, either intentionally or unintentionally by the opposing team's pitcher(s).

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the top one-hundred (100) single season American League leaders for hit by pitch. Note: A bold faced entry denotes that the player was active during the previous Major League season.

"I could have been hit another 100 times if I hadn’t gotten out of the way. I didn’t go up there to get hit. I went up and crowded the plate to take away the outside strike and make pitchers come in to me. It evolved into part of my game. Hit me, I’ll steal a base on you." - Don Baylor in The News Tribune (Larry LaRue, 05/27/2005)

Hit by Pitch Single Season American League Leaders 'Top 100'
Name	Hit by Pitch	Year	Team	League	Rank
Don Baylor	35	1986	Boston Red Sox	AL	1
Don Baylor	28	1987	Boston Red Sox	AL	2
Don Baylor	28	1987	Minnesota Twins	AL	2
David Eckstein	27	2002	Anaheim Angels	AL	3
Kid Elberfeld	25	1911	Washington Senators	AL	4
Brady Anderson	24	1999	Baltimore Orioles	AL	5
Don Baylor	24	1985	New York Yankees	AL
Bill Freehan	24	1968	Detroit Tigers	AL
Don Baylor	23	1984	New York Yankees	AL	8
David DeJesus	23	2007	Kansas City Royals	AL
Minnie Minoso	23	1956	Chicago White Sox	AL
Jake Stahl	23	1908	Boston Red Sox	AL
Jake Stahl	23	1908	New York Highlanders	AL
Brady Anderson	22	1996	Baltimore Orioles	AL	12
Jason Giambi	22	2008	New York Yankees	AL
Shea Hillenbrand	22	2005	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
David Eckstein	21	2001	Anaheim Angels	AL	15
Jason Giambi	21	2003	New York Yankees	AL
Bucky Harris	21	1920	Washington Senators	AL
Reed Johnson	21	2006	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
Chuck Knoblauch	21	1999	New York Yankees	AL
Minnie Minoso	21	1957	Chicago White Sox	AL
Alex Rodriguez	21	2007	New York Yankees	AL
Aaron Rowand	21	2005	Chicago White Sox	AL
Don Baylor	20	1976	Oakland Athletics	AL	23
Bill Freehan	20	1967	Detroit Tigers	AL
Ryan Garko	20	2007	Cleveland Indians	AL
Doc Gessler	20	1911	Washington Senators	AL
Bobby Grich	20	1974	Baltimore Orioles	AL
Reed Johnson	20	2003	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
Jason Kendall	20	2005	Oakland Athletics	AL
Chet Lemon	20	1983	Detroit Tigers	AL
Melvin Mora	20	2002	Baltimore Orioles	AL
Carlos Quentin	20	2008	Chicago White Sox	AL
Brady Anderson	19	1997	Baltimore Orioles	AL	33
Carlos Delgado	19	2003	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
Damion Easley	19	1999	Detroit Tigers	AL
Jason Giambi	19	2005	New York Yankees	AL
Jose Guillen	19	2007	Seattle Mariners	AL
Chuck Knoblauch	19	1996	Minnesota Twins	AL
Frank Menechino	19	2001	Oakland Athletics	AL
Don Baylor	18	1978	California Angels	AL	40
Angel Berroa	18	2003	Kansas City Royals	AL
Bert Daniels	18	1911	New York Highlanders	AL
Bert Daniels	18	1913	New York Yankees	AL
Bert Daniels	18	1912	New York Highlanders	AL
Bucky Harris	18	1921	Washington Senators	AL
Chuck Knoblauch	18	1998	New York Yankees	AL
Mike Macfarlane	18	1994	Kansas City Royals	AL
Dick Padden	18	1904	St. Louis Browns	AL
Rick Reichardt	18	1968	California Angels	AL
Kelly Shoppach	18	2009	Cleveland Indians	AL
Jack Barry	17	1916	Boston Red Sox	AL	51
Shin-Soo Choo	17	2009	Cleveland Indians	AL
Brian Downing	17	1987	California Angels	AL
Brian Downing	17	1986	California Angels	AL
Carlton Fisk	17	1985	Chicago White Sox	AL
Nellie Fox	17	1955	Chicago White Sox	AL
Travis Hafner	17	2004	Cleveland Indians	AL
Brandon Inge	17	2009	Detroit Tigers	AL
Chuck Knoblauch	17	1997	Minnesota Twins	AL
Heinie Manush	17	1923	Detroit Tigers	AL
Kevin Millar	17	2004	Boston Red Sox	AL
Minnie Minoso	17	1953	Chicago White Sox	AL
Minnie Minoso	17	1959	Cleveland Indians	AL
Charlie O'Brien	17	1996	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
Josh Phelps	17	2003	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
Grady Sizemore	17	2007	Cleveland Indians	AL
Jake Stahl	17	1905	Washington Senators	AL
Cesar Tovar	17	1968	Minnesota Twins	AL
Dave Valle	17	1993	Seattle Mariners	AL
Dave Altizer	16	1909	Chicago White Sox	AL	70
Bert Daniels	16	1910	New York Highlanders	AL
Carlos Delgado	16	2001	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
Einar Diaz	16	2001	Cleveland Indians	AL
Damion Easley	16	1998	Detroit Tigers	AL
Damion Easley	16	1997	Detroit Tigers	AL
Kid Elberfeld	16	1905	New York Highlanders	AL
Sal Fasano	16	1998	Kansas City Royals	AL
Lew Ford	16	2005	Minnesota Twins	AL
Nellie Fox	16	1957	Chicago White Sox	AL
Doc Gessler	16	1910	Washington Senators	AL
Jason Giambi	16	2006	New York Yankees	AL
Reed Johnson	16	2005	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
Red Killefer	16	1910	Washington Senators	AL
Sherm Lollar	16	1956	Chicago White Sox	AL
Mike Macfarlane	16	1993	Kansas City Royals	AL
Heinie Manush	16	1924	Detroit Tigers	AL
Pat Meares	16	1997	Minnesota Twins	AL
Minnie Minoso	16	1954	Chicago White Sox	AL
Minnie Minoso	16	1961	Chicago White Sox	AL
Minnie Minoso	16	1951	Chicago White Sox	AL
Minnie Minoso	16	1951	Cleveland Indians	AL
Alex Rodriguez	16	2001	Texas Rangers	AL
Alex Rodriguez	16	2005	New York Yankees	AL
Kevin Youkilis	16	2009	Boston Red Sox	AL
Brady Anderson	15	1998	Baltimore Orioles	AL	94
Bill Bradley	15	1905	Cleveland Naps	AL
George Burns	15	1924	Cleveland Indians	AL
Eddie Collins	15	1911	Philadelphia Athletics	AL
Frankie Crosetti	15	1938	New York Yankees	AL
Jim Delahanty	15	1909	Detroit Tigers	AL
Jim Delahanty	15	1909	Washington Senators	AL
Carlos Delgado	15	1999	Toronto Blue Jays	AL	100
Carlos Delgado	15	2000	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
Jimmy Dykes	15	1921	Philadelphia Athletics	AL
David Eckstein	15	2003	Anaheim Angels	AL
Kid Elberfeld	15	1903	Detroit Tigers	AL
Kid Elberfeld	15	1903	New York Highlanders	AL
Carl Everett	15	2003	Chicago White Sox	AL
Carl Everett	15	2003	Texas Rangers	AL
Jack Fournier	15	1915	Chicago White Sox	AL
Brad Fullmer	15	2002	Anaheim Angels	AL
Ryan Garko	15	2008	Cleveland Indians	AL
Jason Giambi	15	2002	New York Yankees	AL
Jose Guillen	15	2004	Anaheim Angels	AL
Bill Hinchman	15	1907	Cleveland Naps	AL
Nap Lajoie	15	1913	Cleveland Naps	AL
Gene Larkin	15	1988	Minnesota Twins	AL
Matt Lawton	15	1998	Minnesota Twins	AL
Chet Lemon	15	1982	Detroit Tigers	AL
Mike Macfarlane	15	1992	Kansas City Royals	AL
Shane Mack	15	1992	Minnesota Twins	AL
Clyde Milan	15	1910	Washington Senators	AL
Minnie Minoso	15	1958	Cleveland Indians	AL
A.J. Pierzynski	15	2003	Minnesota Twins	AL
Carlos Quentin	15	2009	Chicago White Sox	AL
Alex Rodriguez	15	2003	Texas Rangers	AL
Olmedo Saenz	15	1999	Oakland Athletics	AL
Al Smith	15	1955	Cleveland Indians	AL
Ed Sprague	15	1995	Toronto Blue Jays	AL
Name	Hit by Pitch	Year	Team	League	Rank
Current Through 2009 Season

Did you know that Don Baylor can often be heard discussing hit by pitch anecdotes? Here are two from May 27, 2005, News Tribune: "One year in Texas, I hit an outside-corner slider from Ferguson Jenkins and pulled it down the line for a double. My next at-bat, he threw a fastball at my chin. It was his way of saying, 'You can’t have both sides of the plate on me.' " and another "Andy Messersmith drilled me once, then looked at me and said, 'Don’t you think it’s about time? You’re ten-for-ten against me.' I didn’t realize it. I had to go look it up – and he was right."

The code to write the single season hit by pitch league splits was developed in 2005, launched during 2006 and made possible by your support — please continue helping us create these kinds of pages by supporting our site.

The National League single season record for hit by pitch was set in 1896 by Hughie Jennings of the National League Baltimore Orioles. The American League single season record for hit by pitch is on this page. Is either the Career Leader for Hit by Pitch?

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