Single Season Leaders for Intentional Bases on Balls

An intentional base-on-balls is an officially recognized statistic (since 1955) that counts the number of times a batter reaches first base after accepting four intentionally wide pitches outside the strike zone. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the top one-hundred (100) single season leaders in Major League intentional bases on balls. Note: A bold faced entry denotes that the player was active during the previous Major League season.
"I was so excited they walked Barry Bonds. I wanted to make them pay again." - San Francisco Giants Catcher Benito Santiago on ESPN.com (Santiago makes Cardinals pay, 10/13/2002)
Intentional Base on Balls
Single Season Leaders

'Top 100'
Barry Bonds 120 2004 San Francisco Giants NL 1
Barry Bonds 68 2002 San Francisco Giants NL 2
Barry Bonds 61 2003 San Francisco Giants NL 3
Willie McCovey 45 1969 San Francisco Giants NL 4
Barry Bonds 43 2007 San Francisco Giants NL 5
Barry Bonds 43 1993 San Francisco Giants NL  
Willie McCovey 40 1970 San Francisco Giants NL 7
Barry Bonds 38 2006 San Francisco Giants NL 8
Cliff Floyd 37 2002 Boston Red Sox AL 9
Florida Marlins NL
Montreal Expos NL
Ryan Howard 37 2006 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Sammy Sosa 37 2001 Chicago Cubs NL  
Barry Bonds 35 2001 San Francisco Giants NL 12
Ryan Howard 35 2007 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Barry Bonds 34 1997 San Francisco Giants NL 14
Albert Pujols 34 2008 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
John Olerud 33 1993 Toronto Blue Jays AL 16
Ted Williams 33 1957 Boston Red Sox AL  
Barry Bonds 32 1992 Pittsburgh Pirates NL 18
Vladimir Guerrero 32 2002 Montreal Expos NL  
Kevin Mitchell 32 1989 San Francisco Giants NL  
George Brett 31 1985 Kansas City Royals AL 21
Barry Bonds 30 1996 San Francisco Giants NL 22
Barry Bonds 29 1998 San Francisco Giants NL 23
Frank Howard 29 1970 Washington Senators AL  
Dale Murphy 29 1987 Atlanta Braves NL  
Adolfo Phillips 29 1967 Chicago Cubs NL  
Frank Thomas 29 1995 Chicago White Sox AL  
Ernie Banks 28 1960 Chicago Cubs NL 28
Vladimir Guerrero 28 2007 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim AL  
Mark McGwire 28 1998 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Albert Pujols 28 2006 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Manny Ramirez 28 2003 Boston Red Sox AL  
Jeff Bagwell 27 1997 Houston Astros NL 33
Miguel Cabrera 27 2006 Florida Marlins NL  
Will Clark 27 1988 San Francisco Giants NL  
Roberto Clemente 27 1968 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Albert Pujols 27 2005 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Ichiro Suzuki 27 2002 Seattle Mariners AL  
Vladimir Guerrero 26 2005 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim AL 39
Tony Gwynn 26 1987 San Diego Padres NL  
Fred McGriff 26 1991 San Diego Padres NL  
Stan Musial 26 1958 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Tim Raines 26 1987 Montreal Expos NL  
Duke Snider 26 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers NL  
Frank Thomas 26 1996 Chicago White Sox AL  
Jim Thome 26 2004 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Wade Boggs 25 1991 Boston Red Sox AL 47
Barry Bonds 25 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Leo Cardenas 25 1965 Cincinnati Reds NL  
Ken Griffey, Jr. 25 1993 Seattle Mariners AL  
Vladimir Guerrero 25 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim AL  
Howard Johnson 25 1988 New York Mets NL  
Ted Kluszewski 25 1955 Cincinnati Redlegs NL  
Willie McCovey 25 1973 San Francisco Giants NL  
Eddie Murray 25 1984 Baltimore Orioles AL  
Spike Owen 25 1989 Montreal Expos NL  
Manny Ramirez 25 2001 Boston Red Sox AL  
Bill Russell 25 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers NL  
Mike Schmidt 25 1986 Philadelphia Phillies NL  
Ted Simmons 25 1977 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Willie Stargell 25 1967 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Warren Cromartie 24 1980 Montreal Expos NL 62
Leon Durham 24 1985 Chicago Cubs NL  
Jason Giambi 24 2001 Oakland Athletics AL  
Brian Giles 24 2002 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Luis Gonzalez 24 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks NL  
Vladimir Guerrero 24 2001 Montreal Expos NL  
Eddie Murray 24 1989 Los Angeles Dodgers NL  
Dave Parker 24 1985 Cincinnati Reds NL  
Manny Ramirez 24 2008 Boston Red Sox AL  
Los Angeles Dodgers NL
Rusty Staub 24 1968 Houston Astros NL  
Garry Templeton 24 1985 San Diego Padres NL  
Dave Winfield 24 1979 San Diego Padres NL  
Hank Aaron 23 1968 Atlanta Braves NL 74
Johnny Bench 23 1972 Cincinnati Reds NL  
Miguel Cabrera 23 2007 Florida Marlins NL  
Orlando Cepeda 23 1967 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Will Clark 23 1992 San Francisco Giants NL  
Chili Davis 23 1986 San Francisco Giants NL  
Carlos Delgado 23 2003 Toronto Blue Jays AL  
Ken Griffey, Jr. 23 1997 Seattle Mariners AL  
Vladimir Guerrero 23 2000 Montreal Expos NL  
Chipper Jones 23 2002 Atlanta Braves NL  
Harmon Killebrew 23 1970 Minnesota Twins AL  
Derrek Lee 23 2005 Chicago Cubs NL  
Mickey Mantle 23 1957 New York Yankees AL  
Fred McGriff 23 1992 San Diego Padres NL  
David Ortiz 23 2006 Boston Red Sox AL  
Dave Parker 23 1978 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Dave Rader 23 1973 San Francisco Giants NL  
Frank Robinson 23 1961 Cincinnati Reds NL  
Ichiro Suzuki 23 2005 Seattle Mariners AL  
Garry Templeton 23 1984 San Diego Padres NL  
Frank Thomas 23 1993 Chicago White Sox AL  
Mo Vaughn 23 1993 Boston Red Sox AL  
Harold Baines 22 1991 Oakland Athletics AL 96
Lance Berkman 22 2006 Houston Astros NL  
Barry Bonds 22 1989 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Barry Bonds 22 1995 San Francisco Giants NL  
Barry Bonds 22 2000 San Francisco Giants NL 100
Carlos Delgado 22 2001 Toronto Blue Jays AL  
Shawn Green 22 2002 Los Angeles Dodgers NL  
Vladimir Guerrero 22 2003 Montreal Expos NL  
Todd Helton 22 2005 Colorado Rockies NL  
Todd Helton 22 2000 Colorado Rockies NL  
Ted Kluszewski 22 1956 Cincinnati Redlegs NL  
Rafael Palmeiro 22 1993 Texas Rangers AL  
Albert Pujols 22 2007 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Ted Simmons 22 1979 St. Louis Cardinals NL  
Willie Stargell 22 1973 Pittsburgh Pirates NL  
Current Through 2008 Season


There are sixteen (16) instances in Major League history where a player has been intentionally walked at least thirty (30) times during a single season. Fourteen (14) of those sixteen instances occurred in the National League. Why is this ratio so high? Is it all because of Bonds or is there something more about the senior circuit? Share your thoughts on Baseball Fever.

The American League single season record for intentional bases on balls was set in 1957 by Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox and tied in 1993 by John Olerud of the Toronto Blue Jays. The National League single season record for intentional bases on balls was set in 2004 by Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants.

Future hall of Famer Barry Bonds holds six of the top ten positions for single season intentional bases on balls marks. Is he also the career leader for intentional bases on balls? Click the link to find out who dominates the board like no other in history.
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