MLB GAMES LOST RECORDS

Major League Baseball Records for Games Lost by Pitchers | Baseball Almanac

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a record book full of baseball milestones for games lost by a pitcher — including career games lost marks, single season games lost plateaus and game related records.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"It's not embarrassing (setting the new all-time record for consecutive games lost by a pitcher in a career). Someone has to win and someone has to lose. I'm just losing." - Young, Anthony. Post Game Press Conference. 1993.

MLB Games Lost Record Book

Career Games Lost Records

Most Games Lost
In A Career | Top 1,000
AL Walter Johnson Washington 279 279
NL Pud Galvin Buffalo 179 267
Pittsburgh 82
St. Louis 6
ML Cy Young Cleveland [NL] 135 316
St. Louis [NL] 35
Boston [NL] 5
Boston [AL] 112
Cleveland [AL] 29
Most Games Lost
In A Career | LHP
AL Frank Tanana California 78 221
Boston 10
Texas 49
Detroit 82
New York 2
NL Eppa Rixey Philadelphia 103 251
Cincinnati 148
Most Games Lost
In A Career | RHP
AL Walter Johnson Washington 279 279
NL Pud Galvin Buffalo 179 267
Pittsburgh 82
St. Louis 6
ML Cy Young Cleveland [NL] 135 316
St. Louis [NL] 35
Boston [NL] 5
Boston [AL] 112
Cleveland [AL] 29

MLB Games Lost Record Book

Single Season Games Lost Records

Most Games Lost
In A Season | Top 500
AL Bob Groom Washington 26 1909
Happy Townsend Washington 1904
NL John Coleman Philadelphia 48 1883
Most Games Lost
In A Season | In Relief
AL John Hiller Detroit 14 1974
Darold Knowles Washington 1970
Mike Marshall Minnesota 1979
NL Gene Garber Atlanta 16 1979
Most Games Lost
In A Season | Rookie
AL Bob Groom Washington 26 1909
NL John Coleman Philadelphia 48 1883
Most Games Lost
In A Season | Consecutive
AL Jack Nabors Philadelphia 19 04-28-1916
05-09-1916
05-27-1916
06-16-1916
06-24-1916
06-29-1916
07-03-1916
07-08-1916
07-16-1916
07-21-1916
07-27-1916
08-01-1916
08-08-1916
08-14-1916
09-01-1916
09-04-1916
09-07-1916
09-14-1916
09-28-1916
NL Roger Craig New York 18 05-04-1963
05-13-1963
05-17-1963
05-19-1963
05-24-1963
05-28-1963
06-08-1963
06-16-1963
06-22-1963
06-28-1963
07-04-1963
07-11-1963
07-15-1963
07-19-1963
07-23-1963
07-27-1963
07-31-1963
08-04-1963
Cliff Curtis Boston 06-13-1910
06-18-1910
06-22-1910
06-27-1910
06-30-1910
07-15-1910
07-19-1910
07-24-1910
07-28-1910
08-01-1910
08-06-1910
08-10-1910
08-13-1910
08-19-1910
08-24-1910
09-05-1910
09-10-1910
09-20-1910
Most Seasons
Leading the League
(Yearly Leaders)
AL Pedro Ramos Washington 4 1958
Washington 1959
Washington 1960
Minnesota 1961
Bobo Newsom St. Louis 1934
Washington 1935
Detroit 1941
Philadelphia 1945
NL Phil Niekro Atlanta 4 1977
Atlanta 1978
Atlanta 1979
Atlanta 1980
MLB Games Lost Records | Research by Baseball Almanac
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

Games lost by pitchers are often cited and easy to find. Baseball Almanac likes to take things one step further and is pleased to present a handful of consecutive games won records:

  • Most Consecutive Games Lost | In A Career
    Anthony Young : Twenty-seven from May 6, 1992 to July 24, 1993.
  • Most Consecutive Games Lost To One Team
    Don Sutton : Thirteen from April 23, 1966 to July 24, 1969 vs Chicago.
  • Most Consecutive Games Lost From Start of Career
    Terry Felton : Sixteen from April 18, 1980 to September 12, 1982.

The American League pitchers with the fewest losses who still led their league in games lost are: Ted Gray, Alex Kellner, Bob Lemon, Billy Pierce, Duane Pillette, and Dizzy Trout. All these hurlers had fourteen losses and all led during the 1951 season.

The National League pitchers with the fewest losses who still led their league in games lost are: Don Carman, Orel Hershiser and Ken Hill. All these hurlers had fifteen losses and all led during the 1989 season. Three years later (in 1992) Tom Candiotti & Orel Hershiser (again) tied the record of fifteen originally set in 1989.