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
Greg Maddux 1,981 30
Robin Roberts 1,962 31
Pink Hawley 1,927 32
Frank Tanana 1,910 33
Bobo Newsom 1,908 34
Walter Johnson 1,902 35
Tom Glavine 1,900 36
Roger Clemens 1,885 37
Jamie Moyer 1,881 38
Jim McCormick 1,878 39
Bill Hutchison 1,872 40
Brickyard Kennedy 1,859 41
Fergie Jenkins 1,853 42
Clark Griffith 1,852 43
Grover Alexander 1,851 44
Will White 1,844 45
Jack Stivetts 1,836 46
Dennis Martinez 1,835 47
Jack Quinn 1,835  
Charlie Buffinton 1,824 49
Mark Baldwin 1,817 50
Jack Morris 1,815 51
Red Faber 1,813 52
Charlie Hough 1,807 53
Silver King 1,807  
Jack Powell 1,794 55
Waite Hoyt 1,780 56
Bobby Mathews 1,758 57
Bert Cunningham 1,757 58
Win Mercer 1,744 59
Kenny Rogers 1,739 60
Frank Dwyer 1,724 61
Mel Harder 1,714 62
Jouett Meekin 1,704 63
Al Orth 1,704  
David Wells 1,702 65
Jerry Reuss 1,700 66
Herb Pennock 1,692 67
Tom Seaver 1,674 68
Red Ehret 1,658 69
Paul Derringer 1,652 70
Bob Friend 1,652  
Randy Johnson 1,648 72
George Mullin 1,636 73
George Uhle 1,635 74
Vic Willis 1,628 75
Joe Niekro 1,620 76
Christy Mathewson 1,616 77
Bump Hadley 1,609 78
Jerry Koosman 1,608 79
Hooks Dauss 1,599 80
Lefty Grove 1,594 81
Frank Killen 1,571 82
Eddie Plank 1,569 83
Mike Mussina 1,559 84
Bob Feller 1,557 85
Jesse Haines 1,556 86
Tom Zachary 1,552 87
Curt Simmons 1,551 88
Doyle Alexander 1,541 89
Matt Kilroy 1,539 90
Mickey Lolich 1,537 91
Stump Wiedman 1,536 92
Kid Carsey 1,529 93
Jim Bunning 1,527 94
Tim Wakefield 1,522 95
Mike Moore 1,516 96
Chuck Finley 1,512 97
Freddie Fitzsimmons 1,505 98
Mike Torrez 1,501 99
Rick Reuschel 1,494 100
Current Through 2008 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.