MLB · 3 months ago

35 Unbreakable MLB Stats and Moments That Will Last Forever

SportsGrid Contributor Just Baseball

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1. Ken Johnson’s No-Hitter… in a Loss
On April 23, 1964, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45s threw a nine-inning no-hitter—and lost. Errors allowed Pete Rose to reach base and eventually score the game’s only run in the 9th inning. Johnson’s final line: 9 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K. It remains the only solo nine-inning no-hitter lost in MLB history. We’ve seen shared no-hitters lost, but never like this. It’s a gut-punch record unlikely to ever be repeated.

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35. Johnny Vander Meer’s Back-to-Back No-Hitters – A Feat for the Ages
In 1938, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Vander Meer didn’t just make history — he made impossible history. On June 11 and June 15, he tossed no-hitters in consecutive starts, first against the Boston Bees and then against the Brooklyn Dodgers — in their first ever night game at Ebbets Field, no less.

No pitcher has come remotely close to replicating this. A single no-hitter is a masterclass. Two in a row? That’s something out of fiction. Forget three — this may never happen again.
34. Tony Gwynn’s Strikeout Total is a Mic Drop on Modern Hitters
Over two decades and 10,232 plate appearances, Tony Gwynn struck out just 434 times. That’s fewer strikeouts in 20 seasons than some current hitters tally in two.

To put it in perspective: Gwynn K’d once every 23.6 plate appearances f San Diego Padres. In an era defined by swing-and-miss power, this level of contact is utterly unreachable. He redefined plate discipline — and no one’s touched it since.
33. Gwynn Could’ve Gone 0-for-1,183… and Still Hit .300
Let this one sink in: even if Tony Gwynn finished his career on an 0-for-1,183 slump — yes, you read that correctly — he still would’ve ended above .300.

He finished his career at .338. That margin of excellence is so wide, it borders on absurd. It wasn’t just contact. It was surgical precision.
32. Ichiro Suzuki — .300 from Start to Finish
When Ichiro notched his third MLB hit in his 10th at-bat, his average settled at .300. It never dipped below that for the next 10,724 plate appearances.

That’s 19 seasons of unrelenting consistency. Ichiro’s blend of speed, bat control, and infield mastery kept his average elite until his final game. A .311 career hitter, he was the ultimate offensive metronome — never slumping, always steady.
31. Khris Davis and the .247 Anomaly
In what may be baseball’s most bizarre statistical coincidence, Khris Davis hit exactly .247 in four straight seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics from 2015–2018. Over 500 games and 2,100 plate appearances, Davis’ average never deviated — not once — from .247.

This wasn’t just quirky, it was eerily precise. Not too high, not too low — just perfectly .247. A reminder that baseball loves its numerical oddities.
30. Greg Maddux and the Vanishing 3-0 Count
Facing 20,421 batters in his career, Greg Maddux reached a 3-0 count only 310 times—just 0.01%—and more than half were intentional walks. This staggering control reflects Maddux’s mastery of location and game theory: he minimized hitter advantages by avoiding deep counts. For modern pitchers aiming for efficiency, Maddux’s precision remains a gold standard, illustrating how dominance can stem from command rather than velocity alone.
29. Astros’ Rare Double Immaculate Innings
In a 2022 showdown with the Texas Rangers, the Houston Astros accomplished the near-impossible: two immaculate innings in one game. Starter Luis García and reliever Phil Maton each struck out three batters on nine pitches. Such back-to-back perfection underscores both pitchers’ crisp command and hitters’ vulnerability on that night. Immaculate innings are rare enough; two in a contest cements that game in Astros lore and baseball’s highlight reels.
28. Randy Johnson’s Fatal Fastball Bird Strike
Not a record book entry but an unforgettable moment: Randy Johnson’s pitch that tragically struck and killed a bird mid-flight. The odds of such an event border on zero. While no pitcher aims at wildlife, this incident symbolizes Johnson’s overpowering velocity—delivering a fastball so fierce it intersected a bird’s path. It remains a surreal footnote in baseball history and a testament to the raw force of elite pitching.
27. Barry Bonds’ 2004 On-Base Mastery
In 2004, Barry Bonds reached base 376 times in 617 plate appearances despite officially having just 373 at-bats. He drew 232 walks—120 intentionally—both single-season records. Teams feared him so profoundly that he was intentionally walked with the bases loaded. Bonds’ uncanny plate discipline and power redefined on-base strategies, forcing opponents into impossible dilemmas and rewriting how we measure a hitter’s impact beyond batting average.
26. Don Mattingly’s Grand Slam Streak
Don Mattingly’s singular season with six grand slams stands alone in MLB annals. Remarkably, he never hit another grand slam before or after that year. This anomalous burst highlights the unpredictable nature of baseball: even established sluggers can erupt unexpectedly. Mattingly’s 1987 performance reminds fans that sometimes the stars align perfectly, producing a feat that endures as a quirky, celebrated outlier.
25. CC Sabathia’s Unique Shutout Leads
In 2008, CC Sabathia achieved the odd distinction of very uniquely leading MLB in shutouts in the same season. Sabathia had two with the Cleveland Indians and...
25. CC Sabathia’s Dual-League Shutout Lead
...three after his midyear trade to the Milwaukee Brewers. This rare split-season achievement illustrates Sabathia’s adaptability and resilience amid changing teams and leagues. His ability to dominate lineups on both coasts underscores the pitcher’s consistency and the unpredictable sagas within a single campaign.
24. Cecil & Prince Fielder’s Mirror Home Run Totals
Father-son duo Cecil and Prince Fielder each finished their careers with exactly 319 home runs. Beyond this neat symmetry, deeper parallels emerge: identical counts of two-out homers (97), 4th-inning blasts (49), 5th-inning shots (29), 9th-inning homers (18), and 23 late-inning runs that shifted games. Their matching profiles highlight genetics and shared skillsets, forging a unique multigenerational bond in the home run era.
23. Stadium Seats vs. All MLB Players
Imagine seating every player ever to appear in a Major League game at Progressive Field (the smallest MLB park). You still wouldn’t fill two-thirds of its seats. That perspective underscores baseball’s exclusivity: tens of thousands have played professionally, yet rosters remain finite. Fewer than 3% reach the Hall of Fame. This slide magnifies how rare MLB tenure is and how elite recognition remains even scarcer.
22. Orel Hershiser’s 59 Scoreless Innings
In 1988, Orel Hershiser spun an unparalleled streak of 59 consecutive scoreless innings over seven games, setting an MLB record. His run encompassed dominant starts, steely focus, and a bullpen that preserved his shutout quest. Hershiser’s feat exemplifies pitching excellence under relentless pressure, a benchmark for durability and mental toughness that pitchers still chase decades later.
21. Mariano Rivera’s Postseason Perfection vs. Moonwalkers
Only 11 men have scored against Mariano Rivera in postseason play—fewer than the 12 astronauts who walked on the moon. Rivera’s near-invincibility in October defined an era of bullpen dominance. This comparison elevates his postseason legacy to cosmic proportions: in high-leverage moments, Rivera’s cutter seemed as unreachable as the lunar surface, cementing his status among baseball’s all-time clutch performers.
20. Sammy Sosa: Three 60+ HR Seasons, Zero HR Titles
Sammy Sosa hit 66, 63, and 64 home runs in 1998, 1999, and 2001, respectively—yet led the league zero times. That’s because he shared an era with Mark McGwire (70, 65) and Barry Bonds (72), whose totals narrowly topped his in each instance. While many slugged during the steroid era, Sosa’s triple-60 season feat remains unmatched. With today’s game favoring pitching and contact, and league leaders rarely cracking 50 bombs, we’ll likely never see another player hit 60 home runs three separate times—let alone not lead the league doing it.

Thanks to Just Baseball for the stats, analysis and insights for this slideshow article.
19. Nolan Ryan: No Cy Youngs Despite Legendary Career
It sounds made up, but it’s true: Nolan Ryan never won a Cy Young Award. He threw seven no-hitters, 12 one-hitters, and owns the all-time strikeout record with 5,714 Ks. He pitched across four decades, was feared by generations of hitters, and yet never took home pitching’s top individual honor. In an age where elite relievers and short-season dominance can win the award, the idea of someone with Ryan’s numbers going trophy-less is wild—and a Cy Young shutout like this will never be repeated.
18. Tom Glavine: Same Record & ERA in First and Final Seasons
Hall of Famer Tom Glavine posted the same record and ERA in his rookie year (1987) and final season (2008): 2–4 with a 5.54 ERA. Over 22 years, 305 wins, and two Cy Young Awards, Glavine came full circle in a truly bizarre statistical coincidence. It’s rare for any pitcher to debut and retire with the same season line, especially one with a Hall of Fame career sandwiched between. It’s one of those quietly amazing baseball quirks you can’t make up.
17. Jamie Moyer Faced Nearly 9% of All MLB Players Ever
Jamie Moyer pitched for so long—25 seasons, spanning 1986 to 2012—that he faced 8.9% of all players in MLB history up to that point. Think about that. He gave up home runs to both Mike Schmidt and Giancarlo Stanton, two sluggers separated by generations. With 4,074 innings pitched and 269 wins, Moyer’s longevity and adaptability are unmatched. In a game where careers average just 5.6 years, no one is likely to come close to this “faces faced” percentage again.
16. Hack Wilson’s 191 RBIs in a Single Season (1930)
In 1930, Hack Wilson drove in 191 runs—a record that still stands nearly a century later. The closest modern comparison? Manny Ramirez’s 165 RBIs in 1999. Wilson’s season was the result of a unique offensive explosion in the pre-integration, pre-reliever-heavy game. Today, with elite bullpen arms, shifting lineups, and fewer RBI chances, no one has even reached 140 RBIs since 2008. This might be the most unapproachable hitting record of them all.
15. Chief Wilson’s 36 Triples in 1912
Chief Wilson hit 36 triples in 1912 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and no one has seriously threatened the mark since. For context, no MLB player has recorded more than 23 in a season since 1950. With modern ballparks getting smaller and fielders more athletic, the triple has become baseball’s rarest hit. Wilson’s record is over 110 years old and stands as one of the sport’s most underappreciated statistical anomalies.
14. Joe Sewell’s Three-Strikeout Season (1932)
Joe Sewell struck out three times in 576 plate appearances in 1932. That’s a 0.5% strikeout rate in a full season. Let that sink in. He struck out just 114 times in 8,333 career plate appearances. In today's game, where elite hitters whiff over 150 times a year, Sewell’s contact skill is otherworldly. Even the best bat-to-ball players in today’s MLB strike out 10x as often. Sewell’s stat is the very definition of unbreakable.
13. Steve Carlton’s 146 Career Pickoffs
Steve Carlton wasn’t just a strikeout machine—he had the nastiest pickoff move ever. He picked off 146 runners in his career, including 19 in 1977 alone. That’s more than some teams record in an entire season. Modern pitching mechanics don’t emphasize pickoff moves, and lefties are rarely given the green light to go full attack mode on the bases. With new disengagement rules further reducing attempts, Carlton’s record is destined to stand forever.
12. Nolan Ryan’s 5,714 Career Strikeouts
It deserves another mention: Nolan Ryan’s 5,714 strikeouts is the Mount Rushmore of pitching records. He had six 300-K seasons, fifteen 200-K seasons, and led the league in strikeouts eleven times. The next closest? Randy Johnson, with 4,875—839 fewer. With the way teams limit innings and protect arms, no one will touch this mark. Strikeouts are up across the league, but workloads are down. Ryan's strikeout crown is immortal.
11. Ichiro Suzuki’s 10 Straight 200-Hit Seasons
From 2001 to 2010, Ichiro collected 200+ hits each season—peaking at 262 hits in 2004, the all-time single-season record. During that run, he led MLB in hits seven times. In today’s game of walks, strikeouts, and rest days, consistently reaching 200 hits is rare. No active player has done it more than three times. Ichiro’s mix of durability, contact skill, and speed created a hit machine that won’t be replicated anytime soon.
10. Maury Wills Played 165 Games in a Single Season
In 1962, Maury Wills accomplished something that may never be seen again—playing in 165 regular-season games. Back then, when the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants finished tied atop the National League standings, they played a best-of-three tiebreaker series to determine who advanced. Wills played in all 165 games that year, setting a mark that’s all but impossible in today's structured 162-game format. With modern rest schedules and wild card playoff formats in place, this level of consistent day-in, day-out durability is an untouchable achievement in modern MLB.
9. Don Larsen’s World Series Perfect Game
In Game 5 of the 1956 World Series, Don Larsen threw the only perfect game in postseason history—let alone a World Series. Pitching for the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers, Larsen needed just 97 pitches to retire all 27 batters he faced. It’s a feat that’s never been replicated in the postseason and likely won’t be. With the high-pressure environment of October baseball and bullpen-heavy usage, a World Series perfect game is as rare as it gets. Larsen was deservedly named Series MVP.

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8. Rickey Henderson’s 130 Stolen Bases in 1982
No one ran like Rickey Henderson. In 1982, he stole 130 bases with the Oakland Athletics, shattering the modern game’s perception of baserunning. For comparison, no entire team stole that many bases during the 2021 season. In today’s power-focused game with conservative baserunning philosophies, no player even sniffs 100 steals, let alone 130. With rule changes offering larger bases and disengagement limits, we may see stolen bases rise—but Rickey’s record remains the Mount Everest of speed.

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7. Ernie Banks Played 2,528 Games Without a Postseason Appearance
Ernie Banks, "Mr. Cub," played 2,528 games without ever making a postseason appearance. That’s a full 19-year career filled with consistent greatness with the Chicago Cubs—but no October stage. It’s a heartbreaking and unmatched stat, especially in today’s league with expanded playoffs and more teams making the dance. Banks hit 512 home runs and won two MVPs, yet never had the chance to play when the lights were brightest. This record stands as both incredible and tragic.
6. The Alous Form MLB’s First—and Only—All-Brother Outfield
While the above is Felipe Alou, later in his career with the Oakland Athletics, he did something very special a decade earlier, across the Bay.

On September 15, 1963, the San Francisco Giants made history by fielding the first—and still only—all-brother outfield. Felipe, Matty (Mateo), and Jesús Alou patrolled the outfield together, creating an unmatched moment in MLB history. Given the rarity of three brothers reaching the majors at the same time, this family feat feels untouchable. It's one of those legendary baseball quirks etched in history forever.
5. Jose Miranda's 12 Straight Hits
In 2024, Jose Miranda of the Minnesota Twins joined a short, exclusive list of players to notch hits in 12 consecutive at-bats. He joined just three others in MLB history: Johnny Kling (1902), Pinky Higgins (1938), and Walt Dropo (1952). In an era of elite pitching, defensive shifts, and advanced scouting, stringing together 12 straight knocks is nearly impossible. It’s one of those blink-and-you-miss-it hot streaks that lives on in baseball lore.
4. Konerko and Dye Go Back-to-Back for Career Home Runs No. 300
In 2009, Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye of the Chicago White Sox each hit their 300th career home run—in the same game, and in back-to-back fashion. According to Elias Sports Bureau, no teammates had ever reached century milestone homers in the same game, let alone on consecutive swings. The odds of such symmetry happening again are astronomical. Even in an era defined by analytics and milestones, this remains a one-of-one moment.
3. Phil Niekro’s 21 Wins… and 20 Losses in the Same Season
In 1979, Phil Niekro went 21-20 for the Atlanta Braves, leading the league in both wins and losses. It’s an absurd stat line that speaks volumes about endurance. Niekro threw 342 innings that year. With modern pitcher usage, where 200 innings is a high watermark and wins are devalued, the odds of anyone reaching even 20 wins and 20 losses in a single season are almost zero. It’s a record from a completely different era.
2. Kirby Puckett’s 0-HR Rookie Season to 30+ HR Just Two Years Later
In 1984, Kirby Puckett had 583 plate appearances and hit zero home runs. Just two years later, in 1986, he launched 31 bombs in 723 plate appearances for the Minnesota Twins.It’s the only time in MLB history a player has had both a no-homer and a 30-homer season in their career. That kind of jump is practically impossible now with early stat tracking and power development emphasized at all levels. It remains one of the most dramatic power transformations in baseball history.
1. Ken Johnson’s No-Hitter… in a Loss
On April 23, 1964, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45s threw a nine-inning no-hitter—and lost. Errors allowed Pete Rose to reach base and eventually score the game’s only run in the 9th inning. Johnson’s final line: 9 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K. It remains the only solo nine-inning no-hitter lost in MLB history. We’ve seen shared no-hitters lost, but never like this. It’s a gut-punch record unlikely to ever be repeated.

For all your MLB deep dives, check out our friends at Just Baseball.
35. Johnny Vander Meer’s Back-to-Back No-Hitters – A Feat for the Ages
In 1938, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Vander Meer didn’t just make history — he made impossible history. On June 11 and June 15, he tossed no-hitters in consecutive starts, first against the Boston Bees and then against the Brooklyn Dodgers — in their first ever night game at Ebbets Field, no less.

No pitcher has come remotely close to replicating this. A single no-hitter is a masterclass. Two in a row? That’s something out of fiction. Forget three — this may never happen again.

35 Unbreakable MLB Stats and Moments That Will Last Forever

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