Left on Base Records

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a record book for leaving baserunners left on base — including team marks, single season marks and game related records.

"It's like a dog who has never had table scraps. I really don't know what it (the playoffs) tastes like. I would love to get a taste of the playoffs. I hope I will get to, and I hope it's this year. I am not on the three-year or four-year plan to get to there. I am on a one-year plan." - Todd Helton in Baseball Digest (May 2004)
Left on Base

Player Records

Record Lg Name(s) Team(s) Data

Most
In A Game

AL

Frank Isbell

Chicago

11

08-10-1901

Jiggs Donahue

Chicago

06-23-1907

George Wright

Texas

08-12-1984

NL

Glenn Beckert

Chicago

12

09-16-1972

Todd Helton

Colorado

04-11-1998

Left on Base

Team Records in a Single Season

Record Lg Name(s) Team(s) Data

Fewest
In A Season

AL

Kansas City Athletics

925

1957

NL

Chicago Cubs

964

1924

Most
In A Season

AL

St. Louis Browns

1,334

1941

NL

Cincinnati Reds

1,328

1976

Left on Base

Team Records in a Game

Record Lg Team(s) Data

Most
In a Game
9-Innings

AL

New York [vs Boston]

20

09-21-1956

NL

Boston [vs Baltimore]

18

08-15-1897

Pittsburgh [vs Cincinnati]

09-08-1905

Boston [vs St. Louis]

07-11-1923

St. Louis [vs Philadelphia]

09-15-1928

New York [vs Philadelphia]

08-07-1943

St. Louis [vs Cincinnati]

06-10-1944

St. Louis [vs Philadelphia]

09-14-1950

Pittsburgh [vs Boston]

06-05-1951

Atlanta [vs Los Angeles]

06-23-1986

Record Lg Team(s) Data

Left on Base Record Book by Baseball Almanac



Why is there no listing for players leaving men on base over the course of a career or a single season? Because the data / research is not yet available (stay tuned).

The most runners left on base during a nine-inning shutout is sixteen (16). It has occurred twice in Major League history: May 24, 1994, when St. Louis shutout Philadelphia and May 7, 1998, when Seattle shutout Toronto.

The fewest runners left on base during a nine-inning game? Zero (0) —of course— and it has been accomplished many times in both the American & National League.