List of Major League Baseball career games played as a pitcher leaders

Jesse Orosco, the all-time leader in games played as a pitcher

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, prior to a game, are included on a starting lineup card or are announced as ex ante substitutes, whether or not they play, 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.

In baseball, the pitcher is the player who pitches the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1. The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game, and as such is situated at the right end of the defensive spectrum. There are many different types of pitchers, such as the starting pitcher, relief pitcher, middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and closer.

Jesse Orosco is all-time leader in games played as a pitcher with 1,252 games played in his career at the position in his career. Only fourteen different pitchers played over 1,000 games at the pitcher's mound during their careers.

Key

Rank Rank amongst leaders in career games played. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2021 Gs) Number of games played during the 2021 Major League Baseball season.
G as P Total career games played as a pitcher.
* Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bold Denotes active player.

List

Joe Smith, the active leader and 46th all-time in games played as a pitcher.
  • Stats updated as of the end of the 2021 season.
Rank Player (2021 Gs) G as P
1 Jesse Orosco 1,252
2 Mike Stanton 1,178
3 John Franco 1,119
4 Mariano Rivera * 1,115
5 Dennis Eckersley * 1,071
6 Hoyt Wilhelm * 1,070
7 Dan Plesac 1,064
8 Mike Timlin 1,058
9 Kent Tekulve 1,050
10 LaTroy Hawkins 1,042
11 Trevor Hoffman * 1,035
12 José Mesa 1,022
Lee Smith * 1,022
14 Roberto Hernández 1,010
15 Mike Jackson 1,005
16 Rich Gossage * 1,002
17 Lindy McDaniel 987
18 Todd Jones 982
19 David Weathers 964
20 Fernando Rodney 951
21 Francisco Rodriguez 948
22 Rollie Fingers * 944
23 Gene Garber 931
24 Eddie Guardado 908
25 Cy Young * 906
26 Arthur Rhodes 900
27 Sparky Lyle 899
28 Jim Kaat * 898
29 Kyle Farnsworth 893
30 Tom Gordon 890
31 Paul Assenmacher 884
32 Mike Myers 883
33 Alan Embree 882
34 Jeff Reardon 880
35 Don McMahon 874
36 Phil Niekro * 864
37 Charlie Hough 858
38 Billy Wagner 853
39 Roy Face 848
40 Doug Jones 846
41 Chad Qualls 844
42 Paul Quantrill 841
43 Javier Lopez 839
44 Bob Wickman 835
45 Steve Reed 833
46 Joe Smith (50) 832
47 Julian Tavarez 828
48 Tug McGraw 824
49 Nolan Ryan * 807
50 Tyler Clippard (26) 803
Rank Player (2021 Gs) G as P
51 Walter Johnson * 802
52 Francisco Cordero 800
53 Jeff Nelson 798
Sergio Romo (66) 798
55 Rick Honeycutt 797
56 Steve Kline 796
57 Joe Nathan 787
58 Buddy Groom 786
59 Gaylord Perry * 777
60 Jeremy Affeldt 774
Don Sutton * 774
62 Joakim Soria (41) 773
63 Bob Howry 769
64 Darren Oliver 766
65 Mark Guthrie 765
Darold Knowles 765
67 Joaquín Benoit 764
68 Armando Benítez 762
Kenny Rogers 762
70 Tommy John 760
71 Octavio Dotel 758
72 Jack Quinn 756
73 Ron Reed 751
74 Warren Spahn * 750
75 Matt Thornton 748
76 Tom Burgmeier 745
Gary Lavelle 745
78 Willie Hernández 744
Greg Maddux * 744
80 Guillermo Mota 743
81 Steve Carlton * 741
82 Ryan Madson 740
Russ Springer 740
84 Brad Ziegler 739
85 Ron Perranoski 737
86 Ron Kline 736
87 Rick Aguilera 732
Steve Bedrosian 732
89 Clay Carroll 731
90 Randy Myers 728
91 Jason Isringhausen 724
Mike Marshall 724
93 Roger McDowell 723
John Smoltz * 723
95 Jeff Fassero 720
96 Jamey Wright 719
97 Dave Righetti 718
98 Ron Villone 717
99 Danny Darwin 716
100 Eric Plunk 714

This page was last updated at 2021-12-15 23:23 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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