Year by Year Leaders for Bases on Balls
A base-on-balls is an officially recognized statistic that counts the number of times a batter reaches first base after accepting four pitches outside the strike zone. Prior to 1889, the rule regarding the walk statistic was different and used the following rules of the day: 1876-1879 nine balls, 1880-1882 eight balls, 1882-1884 seven balls, 1884-1885 six balls, 1886 seven balls, 1887-1888 five balls and from 1889 forward it has, and still remains four balls.
Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a year-by-year leaderboard in Major League base on balls for every season since 1876. Note: A bold faced entry denotes that the player was active during the previous Major League season.
"Geez, it's lonesome in the outfield, and it's hard to keep awake with nothing to do." - Base on Balls Leader (1921-1921, 1923-1924, 1926-1928, 1930-1933) / Hall of Famer Babe Ruth
Bases on BallsYear-by-Year Leaders | '1876 - 2025' | |||||||
| Year | American League | BB | Team(s) | Year | National League | BB | Team(s) |
| 1876 | - | - | - | 1876 | 20 | Chicago | |
| 1877 | - | - | - | 1877 | 20 | Boston | |
| 1878 | - | - | - | 1878 | 17 | Chicago | |
Chicago | |||||||
| 1879 | - | - | - | 1879 | 29 | Boston | |
| 1880 | - | - | - | 1880 | 24 | Troy | |
| 1881 | - | - | - | 1881 | 35 | Cleveland | |
| 1882 | - | - | - | 1882 | 29 | Chicago | |
| 1883 | - | - | - | 1883 | 37 | Cleveland | |
| 1884 | - | - | - | 1884 | 61 | Chicago | |
| 1885 | - | - | - | 1885 | 75 | Chicago | |
| 1886 | - | - | - | 1886 | 102 | Chicago | |
| 1887 | - | - | - | 1887 | 82 | Philadelphia | |
| 1888 | - | - | - | 1888 | 73 | New York | |
| 1889 | - | - | - | 1889 | 96 | New York | |
| 1890 | - | - | - | 1890 | 113 | Chicago | |
| 1891 | - | - | - | 1891 | 102 | Philadelphia | |
| 1892 | - | - | - | 1892 | 136 | St. Louis | |
| 1893 | - | - | - | 1893 | 121 | St. Louis | |
| 1894 | - | - | - | 1894 | 126 | Philadelphia | |
| 1895 | - | - | - | 1895 | 96 | Philadelphia | |
Washington | |||||||
| 1896 | - | - | - | 1896 | 110 | Boston | |
| 1897 | - | - | - | 1897 | 105 | Boston | |
| 1898 | - | - | - | 1898 | 112 | Baltimore | |
| 1899 | - | - | - | 1899 | 124 | Baltimore | |
| 1900 | - | - | - | 1900 | 115 | Philadelphia | |
| 1901 | Dummy Hoy | 86 | Chicago | 1901 | 100 | Philadelphia | |
| 1902 | Topsy Hartsel | 87 | Philadelphia | 1902 | 107 | Philadelphia | |
| 1903 | Jimmy Barrett | 74 | Detroit | 1903 | 107 | Philadelphia | |
| 1904 | Jimmy Barrett | 79 | Detroit | 1904 | 102 | Philadelphia | |
| 1905 | Topsy Hartsel | 121 | Philadelphia | 1905 | 103 | Cincinnati | |
| 1906 | Topsy Hartsel | 88 | Philadelphia | 1906 | 107 | Philadelphia | |
| 1907 | Topsy Hartsel | 106 | Philadelphia | 1907 | 83 | Cincinnati | |
Philadelphia | |||||||
| 1908 | Topsy Hartsel | 93 | Philadelphia | 1908 | 83 | New York | |
| 1909 | Donie Bush | 88 | Detroit | 1909 | 80 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1910 | Donie Bush | 78 | Detroit | 1910 | 116 | St. Louis | |
| 1911 | Donie Bush | 98 | Detroit | 1911 | 147 | Chicago | |
| 1912 | Donie Bush | 117 | Detroit | 1912 | 122 | Chicago | |
| 1913 | Burt Shotton | 99 | St. Louis | 1913 | 94 | Cincinnati | |
| 1914 | Donie Bush | 112 | Detroit | 1914 | 105 | St. Louis | |
| 1915 | Eddie Collins | 119 | Chicago | 1915 | 86 | Philadelphia | |
| 1916 | Burt Shotton | 110 | St. Louis | 1916 | 84 | Cincinnati | |
| 1917 | Jack Graney | 94 | Cleveland | 1917 | 75 | New York | |
| 1918 | Ray Chapman | 84 | Cleveland | 1918 | 62 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1919 | Jack Graney | 105 | Cleveland | 1919 | 82 | New York | |
| 1920 | Babe Ruth | 150 | New York | 1920 | 76 | New York | |
| 1921 | Babe Ruth | 145 | New York | 1921 | 80 | New York | |
| 1922 | Whitey Witt | 89 | New York | 1922 | 80 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1923 | Babe Ruth | 170 | New York | 1923 | 101 | Cincinnati | |
| 1924 | Babe Ruth | 142 | New York | 1924 | 89 | St. Louis | |
| 1925 | Willie Kamm | 90 | Chicago | 1925 | 86 | Brooklyn | |
| Johnny Mostil | Chicago | ||||||
| 1926 | Babe Ruth | 144 | New York | 1926 | 69 | Chicago | |
| 1927 | Babe Ruth | 137 | New York | 1927 | 86 | New York | |
| 1928 | Babe Ruth | 137 | New York | 1928 | 107 | Boston | |
| 1929 | Max Bishop | 128 | Philadelphia | 1929 | 113 | New York | |
| 1930 | Babe Ruth | 136 | New York | 1930 | 105 | Chicago | |
| 1931 | Babe Ruth | 128 | New York | 1931 | 80 | New York | |
| 1932 | Babe Ruth | 130 | New York | 1932 | 100 | New York | |
| 1933 | Babe Ruth | 114 | New York | 1933 | 75 | New York | |
| 1934 | Jimmie Foxx | 111 | Philadelphia | 1934 | 94 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1935 | Lou Gehrig | 132 | New York | 1935 | 97 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1936 | Lou Gehrig | 130 | New York | 1936 | 118 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1937 | Lou Gehrig | 127 | New York | 1937 | 102 | New York | |
| 1938 | Jimmie Foxx | 119 | Boston | 1938 | 119 | Brooklyn | |
| Hank Greenberg | Detroit | ||||||
| 1939 | Harlond Clift | 111 | St. Louis | 1939 | 110 | Brooklyn | |
| 1940 | Charlie Keller | 106 | New York | 1940 | 119 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1941 | Ted Williams | 147 | Boston | 1941 | 118 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1942 | Ted Williams | 145 | Boston | 1942 | 109 | New York | |
| 1943 | Charlie Keller | 106 | New York | 1943 | 103 | Brooklyn | |
| 1944 | Nick Etten | 97 | New York | 1944 | 101 | Brooklyn | |
| 1945 | Roy Cullenbine | 113 | Cleveland | 1945 | 148 | Brooklyn | |
| Detroit | |||||||
| 1946 | Ted Williams | 156 | Boston | 1946 | 137 | Brooklyn | |
| 1947 | Ted Williams | 162 | Boston | 1947 | 104 | Pittsburgh | |
Brooklyn | |||||||
| 1948 | Ted Williams | 126 | Boston | 1948 | 131 | Boston | |
| 1949 | Ted Williams | 162 | Boston | 1949 | 117 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1950 | Eddie Yost | 141 | Washington | 1950 | 144 | New York | |
| 1951 | Ted Williams | 144 | Boston | 1951 | 137 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1952 | Eddie Yost | 129 | Washington | 1952 | 110 | Pittsburgh | |
| 1953 | Eddie Yost | 123 | Washington | 1953 | 105 | St. Louis | |
| 1954 | Ted Williams | 136 | Boston | 1954 | 125 | Philadelphia | |
| 1955 | Mickey Mantle | 113 | New York | 1955 | 109 | Milwaukee | |
| 1956 | Eddie Yost | 151 | Washington | 1956 | 99 | Brooklyn | |
| 1957 | Mickey Mantle | 146 | New York | 1957 | 94 | Philadelphia | |
Cincinnati | |||||||
| 1958 | Mickey Mantle | 129 | New York | 1958 | 97 | Philadelphia | |
| 1959 | Eddie Yost | 135 | Detroit | 1959 | 96 | Los Angeles | |
| 1960 | Eddie Yost | 125 | Detroit | 1960 | 116 | Chicago | |
| 1961 | Mickey Mantle | 126 | New York | 1961 | 93 | Milwaukee | |
| 1962 | Mickey Mantle | 122 | New York | 1962 | 101 | Milwaukee | |
| 1963 | Carl Yastrzemski | 95 | Boston | 1963 | 124 | Milwaukee | |
| 1964 | Norm Siebern | 106 | Baltimore | 1964 | 86 | Chicago | |
| 1965 | Rocky Colavito | 93 | Cleveland | 1965 | 97 | Houston | |
| 1966 | Harmon Killebrew | 103 | Minnesota | 1966 | 95 | Chicago | |
| 1967 | Harmon Killebrew | 131 | Minnesota | 1967 | 96 | Chicago | |
| 1968 | Carl Yastrzemski | 119 | Boston | 1968 | 96 | Chicago | |
| 1969 | Harmon Killebrew | 145 | Minnesota | 1969 | 148 | Houston | |
| 1970 | Frank Howard | 132 | Washington | 1970 | 137 | San Francisco | |
| 1971 | Harmon Killebrew | 114 | Minnesota | 1971 | 112 | San Francisco | |
| 1972 | Dick Allen | 99 | Chicago | 1972 | 115 | Cincinnati | |
| Roy White | New York | ||||||
| 1973 | John Mayberry | 122 | Kansas City | 1973 | 124 | Atlanta | |
| 1974 | Gene Tenace | 110 | Oakland | 1974 | 126 | Atlanta | |
| 1975 | John Mayberry | 119 | Kansas City | 1975 | 132 | Cincinnati | |
| 1976 | Mike Hargrove | 97 | Texas | 1976 | 127 | Atlanta | |
| 1977 | Toby Harrah | 109 | Texas | 1977 | 125 | San Diego | |
| 1978 | Mike Hargrove | 107 | Texas | 1978 | 117 | Atlanta | |
| 1979 | Darrell Porter | 121 | Kansas City | 1979 | 120 | Philadelphia | |
| 1980 | Willie Randolph | 119 | New York | 1980 | 93 | Cincinnati | |
Houston | |||||||
| 1981 | Dwight Evans | 85 | Boston | 1981 | 73 | Philadelphia | |
| 1982 | Rickey Henderson | 116 | Oakland | 1982 | 107 | Philadelphia | |
| 1983 | Rickey Henderson | 103 | Oakland | 1983 | 128 | Philadelphia | |
| 1984 | Eddie Murray | 107 | Baltimore | 1984 | 103 | Chicago | |
| 1985 | Dwight Evans | 114 | Boston | 1985 | 90 | Atlanta | |
| 1986 | Wade Boggs | 105 | Boston | 1986 | 94 | New York | |
| 1987 | Brian Downing | 106 | California | 1987 | 136 | St. Louis | |
| Dwight Evans | Boston | ||||||
| 1988 | Wade Boggs | 125 | Boston | 1988 | 100 | San Francisco | |
| 1989 | Rickey Henderson | 126 | New York | 1989 | 132 | San Diego | |
| Oakland | |||||||
| 1990 | Mark McGwire | 110 | Oakland | 1990 | 104 | San Diego | |
| 1991 | Frank Thomas | 138 | Chicago | 1991 | 108 | Los Angeles | |
| 1992 | Mickey Tettleton | 122 | Detroit | 1992 | 127 | Pittsburgh | |
| Frank Thomas | Chicago | ||||||
| 1993 | Tony Phillips | 132 | Detroit | 1993 | 129 | Philadelphia | |
| 1994 | Frank Thomas | 109 | Chicago | 1994 | 74 | San Francisco | |
| 1995 | Frank Thomas | 136 | Chicago | 1995 | 120 | San Francisco | |
| 1996 | Tony Phillips | 125 | Chicago | 1996 | 151 | San Francisco | |
| 1997 | Jim Thome | 120 | Cleveland | 1997 | 145 | San Francisco | |
| 1998 | Rickey Henderson | 118 | Oakland | 1998 | 162 | St. Louis | |
| 1999 | Jim Thome | 127 | Cleveland | 1999 | 149 | Houston | |
| 2000 | Jason Giambi | 137 | Oakland | 2000 | 117 | San Francisco | |
| 2001 | Jason Giambi | 129 | Oakland | 2001 | 177 | San Francisco | |
| 2002 | Jim Thome | 122 | Cleveland | 2002 | 198 | San Francisco | |
| 2003 | Jason Giambi | 129 | New York | 2003 | 148 | San Francisco | |
| 2004 | Eric Chavez | 95 | Oakland | 2004 | 232 | San Francisco | |
| 2005 | Jason Giambi | 108 | New York | 2005 | 119 | San Diego | |
| 2006 | David Ortiz | 119 | Boston | 2006 | 115 | San Francisco | |
| 2007 | David Ortiz | 111 | Boston | 2007 | 132 | San Francisco | |
| 2008 | Jack Cust | 111 | Oakland | 2008 | 122 | Arizona | |
Cincinnati | |||||||
| 2009 | Chone Figgins | 101 | Los Angeles | 2009 | 119 | San Diego | |
| 2010 | Daric Barton | 110 | Oakland | 2010 | 114 | Milwaukee | |
| 2011 | Jose Bautista | 132 | Toronto | 2011 | 110 | Cincinnati | |
| 2012 | Adam Dunn | 105 | Chicago | 2012 | 94 | Atlanta | |
Cincinnati | |||||||
| 2013 | Mike Trout | 110 | Los Angeles | 2013 | 135 | Cincinnati | |
| 2014 | Carlos Santana | 113 | Cleveland | 2014 | 95 | St. Louis | |
| 2015 | Jose Bautista | 110 | Toronto | 2015 | 143 | Cincinnati | |
| 2016 | Mike Trout | 116 | Los Angeles | 2016 | 110 | Arizona | |
| 2017 | Aaron Judge | 127 | New York | 2017 | 134 | Cincinnati | |
| 2018 | Mike Trout | 122 | Los Angeles | 2018 | 130 | Washington | |
| 2019 | Alex Bregman | 119 | Houston | 2019 | 116 | Philadelphia | |
| 2020 | Carlos Santana | 47 | Cleveland | 2020 | 49 | Philadelphia | |
| 2021 | Joey Gallo | 111 | New York | 2021 | 145 | Washington | |
| Texas | |||||||
| 2022 | Aaron Judge | 111 | New York | 2022 | 135 | San Diego | |
Washington | |||||||
| 2023 | J.P. Crawford | 94 | Seattle | 2023 | 132 | San Diego | |
| 2024 | Aaron Judge | 133 | New York | 2024 | 106 | Philadelphia | |
| 2025 | Aaron Judge | 124 | New York | 2025 | 127 | New York | |
| Year | American League | BB | Team(s) | Year | National League | BB | Team(s) |
| Current Through End of 2025 Regular Season | |||||||
Congratulations toBarry Bonds (one-hundred seventy-seven base on balls in 2001) for breaking the unbreakablesingle season Major League record set byBabe Ruth in 1923 and then SHATTERING his own record during the 2002 season — not to mention 2004.
Did you know that Baseball Almanac has an entire record book dedicated to base on ballsrecords? Check it to see rookie records, career records, single season records and much more.
Babe Ruth once received one-hundred seventy base on balls during asingle season setting the American League record in 1923 — a record that still stands to this day.
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