List of Major League Baseball career games played as a pitcher leaders
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. |
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Bold | Denotes active player. |
List
- Stats updated as of the end of the 2021 season.