List of Major League Baseball career games played leaders
Games played (most often abbreviated as G or GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested. In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, before a game, are included on a starting lineup card or are announced as ex ante substitutes, whether or not they play,[1] although, in Major League Baseball, the application of this statistic does not extend to consecutive games played streaks. A starting pitcher, then, may be credited with a game played even as he is not credited with a game started or an inning pitched.
Ty Cobb was the first player to reach 3,000 games played. Cobb's record of 3,035 games played lasted for 46 seasons until Hank Aaron would break the record. Aaron's record was subsequently broken by Carl Yastrzemski in 1983 and finally broken the following season by Pete Rose, who currently holds the record for most games played at 3,562. Rickey Henderson, Eddie Murray, Stan Musial, Albert Pujols, Willie Mays, and Cal Ripken Jr. are the only other players to play in over 3,000 career games.
As of September 19, 2024, no active players are in the top 100 for career games played. The active leader is Andrew McCutchen in 185th with 2,121.
Key
Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career games played. A blank field indicates a tie. |
Player (2024 Gs) | Number of games played during the 2024 Major League Baseball season. |
G | Total career games played. |
* | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame. |
---|---|
Bold | Denotes active player.[a] |
List
- Stats updated as of September 19, 2024.
Rank | Player (2024 Gs) | G |
---|---|---|
51 | Iván Rodríguez* | 2,543 |
Jim Thome* | 2,543 | |
53 | Ernie Banks* | 2,528 |
54 | Julio Franco | 2,527 |
55 | Cap Anson* | 2,524 |
56 | Bill Buckner | 2,517 |
Sam Crawford* | 2,517 | |
58 | Gary Gaetti | 2,507 |
59 | Babe Ruth* | 2,503 |
60 | Tim Raines* | 2,502 |
61 | Carlton Fisk* | 2,499 |
Chipper Jones* | 2,499 | |
63 | Johnny Damon | 2,490 |
64 | Dave Concepción | 2,488 |
Billy Williams* | 2,488 | |
66 | Nap Lajoie* | 2,480 |
67 | Max Carey* | 2,476 |
68 | Rod Carew* | 2,469 |
Vada Pinson | 2,469 | |
70 | Dave Parker | 2,466 |
71 | Fred McGriff* | 2,460 |
72 | Ted Simmons* | 2,456 |
73 | Bill Dahlen | 2,443 |
74 | Ron Fairly | 2,442 |
75 | Tony Gwynn* | 2,440 |
76 | Wade Boggs* | 2,439 |
77 | Chili Davis | 2,436 |
78 | Harmon Killebrew* | 2,435 |
79 | Roberto Clemente* | 2,433 |
80 | Willie Davis | 2,429 |
81 | Bobby Abreu | 2,425 |
82 | Luke Appling* | 2,422 |
83 | Zack Wheat* | 2,410 |
84 | Mickey Vernon | 2,409 |
85 | David Ortiz* | 2,408 |
86 | Buddy Bell | 2,405 |
87 | Sam Rice* | 2,404 |
Mike Schmidt* | 2,404 | |
89 | Mickey Mantle* | 2,401 |
90 | Jake Beckley* | 2,392 |
91 | Eddie Mathews* | 2,391 |
92 | Lou Whitaker | 2,390 |
93 | Bobby Wallace* | 2,383 |
94 | Enos Slaughter* | 2,380 |
95 | Roberto Alomar* | 2,379 |
96 | Torii Hunter | 2,372 |
97 | George Davis* | 2,368 |
Al Oliver | 2,368 | |
99 | Nellie Fox* | 2,367 |
100 | Willie Stargell* | 2,360 |
Notes
- ^ A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or has not played for a full season.
References
- MLB official list
- "Career Leaders & Records for Games Played". Baseball-Reference.com.
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- Triple Crown
- 20–20–20 club
- 30–30 club
- 40–40 club
- 50–50 club
- ^ Section 20 of the official scorer guidelines