Career Leaders for Runs Allowed

A common goal most every pitcher has when he places his cleat on the rubber and lets the ball loose is to win. By any means necessary. While seeking that goal a pitcher is often apt to allow a few runs. Maybe even more than a few...

Allowing runs is never a pitcher's goal, but it is a reality of the art pitching and Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the top one-hundred all time runs allowed leaders. Note: A bold faced entry denotes that the pitcher was active during the previous Major League season.

"(Tony) Mullane was a multi-talented marvel, baseball's first ambidextrous pitcher. He played without a glove, facing the batter with both hands on the ball before throwing it with either one. Handsome and muscular, with a reputation as a dandy, Mullane was also a skilled boxer, skater, and musician, as well as one of the better pitchers of his day." - Author A.D. Suehsdorf on BasebalLibrary.com
Runs Allowed
All Time Leaders

'Top 100'

Cy Young 2,994 1
Pud Galvin 2,589 2
Gus Weyhing 2,557 3
Mickey Welch 2,556 4
Kid Nichols 2,477 5
Tim Keefe 2,469 6
John Clarkson 2,376 7
Phil Niekro 2,337 8
Tony Mullane 2,311 9
Old Hoss Radbourn 2,275 10
Nolan Ryan 2,178 11
Steve Carlton 2,130 12
Gaylord Perry 2,128 13
Red Ruffing 2,117 14
Adonis Terry 2,109 15
Don Sutton 2,104 16
Amos Rusie 2,066 17
Ted Lyons 2,056 18
Burleigh Grimes 2,048 19
Jim Kaat 2,038 20
Early Wynn 2,037 21
Bert Blyleven 2,029 22
Jim Whitney 2,026 23
Earl Whitehill 2,018 24
Tommy John 2,017 25
Warren Spahn 2,016 26
Sam Jones 2,007 27
Chick Fraser 1,995 28
Eppa Rixey 1,986 29
Robin Roberts 1,962 30
Pink Hawley 1,927 31
Frank Tanana 1,910 32
Bobo Newsom 1,908 33
Walter Johnson 1,902 34
Jim McCormick 1,878 35
Bill Hutchison 1,872 36
Brickyard Kennedy 1,859 37
Fergie Jenkins 1,853 38
Clark Griffith 1,852 39
Grover Alexander 1,851 40
Will White 1,844 41
Jack Stivetts 1,836 42
Dennis Martinez 1,835 43
Jack Quinn 1,835  
Charlie Buffinton 1,824 45
Mark Baldwin 1,817 46
Jack Morris 1,815 47
Red Faber 1,813 48
Charlie Hough 1,807 49
Silver King 1,807  
Roger Clemens 1,799 51
Jack Powell 1,794 52
Waite Hoyt 1,780 53
Bobby Mathews 1,758 54
Bert Cunningham 1,757 55
Win Mercer 1,744 56
Frank Dwyer 1,724 57
Mel Harder 1,714 58
Jouett Meekin 1,704 59
Al Orth 1,704  
Jerry Reuss 1,700 61
Herb Pennock 1,692 62
Greg Maddux 1,675 63
Tom Seaver 1,674 64
Tom Glavine 1,664 65
Red Ehret 1,658 66
Paul Derringer 1,652 67
Bob Friend 1,652  
George Mullin 1,636 69
George Uhle 1,635 70
Vic Willis 1,628 71
Joe Niekro 1,620 72
Christy Mathewson 1,616 73
Bump Hadley 1,609 74
Jerry Koosman 1,608 75
Hooks Dauss 1,599 76
Lefty Grove 1,594 77
Frank Killen 1,571 78
Eddie Plank 1,569 79
Jamie Moyer 1,568 80
David Wells 1,564 81
Bob Feller 1,557 82
Jesse Haines 1,556 83
Tom Zachary 1,552 84
Curt Simmons 1,551 85
Doyle Alexander 1,541 86
Matt Kilroy 1,539 87
Mickey Lolich 1,537 88
Stump Wiedman 1,536 89
Kid Carsey 1,529 90
Jim Bunning 1,527 91
Mike Moore 1,516 92
Chuck Finley 1,512 93
Freddie Fitzsimmons 1,505 94
Mike Torrez 1,501 95
Rick Reuschel 1,494 96
Willis Hudlin 1,491 97
Lee Meadows 1,491  
Kenny Rogers 1,488 99
Charlie Getzien 1,468 100
Current Through 2005 Season


Did you know that Pud Galvin, who finished his career with a Major League record three-thousand three-hundred fifteen runs allowed, also happened to be the first pitcher to win at least three-hundred games?

The Major League record for runs allowed in an inning occurred in a National League contest played on June 18, 1894. Hurler Tony Mullane of the defunct Baltimore Orioles club allowed sixteen runs during the first inning and remained in the game!

Mullane's American League counterpart is Lefty O'Doul of the Boston Red Sox who allowed thirteen runs to score during the first inning of the first game of a doubleheader played on July 7, 1923.