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List of Major League Baseball career games played as an outfielder leaders

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Ty Cobb, the all-time leader in games played as an outfielder

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, before a game, are included on a starting lineup card or are announced as ex ante substitutes, whether or not they play;[1] however, 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 if he is not credited with a game started or an inning pitched. An outfielder (OF) is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter, who are identified as the left fielder (LF), the center fielder (CF), and the right fielder (RF). An outfielder's duty is to try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield. Outfielders normally play behind the six other members of the defense who play in or near the infield; unlike catchers and most infielders (excepting first basemen), who are virtually exclusively right-handed, outfielders can be either right- or left-handed. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the outfielders are assigned the numbers 7 (left field), 8 (center field), and 9 (right field).

The outfield positions are routinely regarded as being among the less physically demanding positions in baseball, largely due to the rarity of contact with opposing players and the longer reaction time possible after a ball is hit; long careers in the outfield have been common throughout major league history. Because game accounts and box scores often did not distinguish between the outfield positions, there has been some difficulty in determining precise defensive statistics before 1901; because of this, and because of the similarity in their roles, defensive statistics for the three positions are frequently combined. Ty Cobb is the all-time leader in major league games played as an outfielder with 2,934.[2][3][4] Barry Bonds[5] (2,874), Willie Mays[6] (2,842), Rickey Henderson[7] (2,826), Hank Aaron[8] (2,760), Tris Speaker[9] (2,698), and Lou Brock[10] (2,507) are the only other outfielders to play in over 2,500 games in their careers; 55 players have appeared in more than 2,000 career games as outfielders.

As of November 2023, no active players are in the top 100 of career games played as an outfielder. The active leader is Andrew McCutchen in 106th with 1,768.

Key

[edit]
Rank Rank amongst leaders in career games played. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2024 Gs) Number of games played during the 2024 Major League Baseball season
Main pos. Primary outfield position played during career (LF, CF, or RF)
MLB Total career games played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball
* Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Bold Denotes active player[a]

List

[edit]
Andrew McCutchen, the active leader and 103rd all-time in games played as an outfielder.
Barry Bonds holds the National League record.
Willie Mays held the National League record for 38 years.
Max Carey held the National League record for 42 years.
Fred Clarke, who held the National League record for 18 years, was the first player to appear in 2,000 games in the outfield.
Billy Williams played a record 164 games in the outfield in 1965.
  • Stats updated of May 31, 2024.
Rank Player (2023 Gs) Main
Pos. 		Games as outfielder Other leagues, notes
MLB American League National League
1 Ty Cobb* CF 2,934 2,934 0
2 Barry Bonds LF 2,874 0 2,874
3 Willie Mays* CF 2,842 0 2,842 Held National League record, 1969–2007;
Negro League totals unavailable
4 Rickey Henderson* LF 2,826 2,347 479
5 Hank Aaron* RF 2,760 4 2,756
6 Tris Speaker* CF 2,698 2,698 0
7 Lou Brock* LF 2,507 0 2,507
8 Al Kaline* RF 2,488 2,488 0
9 Steve Finley CF 2,487 313 2,174
10 Dave Winfield* RF 2,469 1,404 1,065
11 Luis Gonzalez LF 2,441 132 2,309
12 Max Carey* CF 2,421 0 2,421 Held National League record, 1927-1969
13 Vada Pinson CF 2,403 728 1,675
14 Ken Griffey Jr.* CF 2,382 1,529 853
15 Roberto Clemente* RF 2,370 0 2,370
16 Ichiro Suzuki RF 2,365 2,145 220
17 Zack Wheat* LF 2,337 62 2,275 Held National League record, 1926-1927
18 Tony Gwynn* RF 2,326 0 2,326
19 Willie Davis CF 2,323 49 2,274
Andre Dawson* RF 2,323 20 2,303
21 Mel Ott* RF 2,313 0 2,313
22 Sam Crawford* RF 2,299 1,906 393 Held major league record, 1915–1923;
held American League record, 1911-1920
23 Paul Waner* RF 2,288 0 2,288
24 Harry Hooper* RF 2,284 2,284 0
25 Sam Rice* RF 2,270 2,270 0
26 Torii Hunter CF 2,256 2,256 0
27 Babe Ruth* RF 2,241 2,215 26
28 Carlos Beltrán CF 2,210 994 1,216
29 Sammy Sosa RF 2,203 397 1,806
30 Fred Clarke* LF 2,193 0 2,193 Held major league record, 1910–1915;
held National League record, 1908-1926
31 Goose Goslin* LF 2,187 2,187 0
32 Brett Butler CF 2,159 601 1,558
33 José Cruz LF 2,156 8 2,148
34 Ted Williams* LF 2,151 2,151 0
35 Dwight Evans RF 2,146 2,146 0
36 Doc Cramer CF 2,142 2,142 0
Al Simmons* LF 2,142 2,055 87
38 Bobby Abreu RF 2,138 669 1,469
39 Frank Robinson* RF 2,132 759 1,373
40 Tim Raines* LF 2,123 771 1,352
41 Nick Markakis RF 2,107 1,343 764
42 Richie Ashburn* CF 2,104 0 2,104
43 Reggie Jackson* RF 2,102 2,102 0
44 Marquis Grissom CF 2,088 144 1,944
Billy Williams* LF 2,088 1 2,087
46 Carl Yastrzemski* LF 2,076 2,076 0
47 Jimmy Sheckard LF 2,071 4 2,067
48 Johnny Damon CF 2,067 2,067 0
49 Enos Slaughter* RF 2,064 308 1,756
50 Jesse Burkett* LF 2,054 564 1,490 Held major league record, 1905-1910
51 Andruw Jones CF 2,043 229 1,814
52 Kenny Lofton CF 2,041 1,502 539
53 Willie Keeler* RF 2,039 849 1,190
54 Willie Wilson CF 2,031 1,939 92
55 Mickey Mantle* CF 2,019 2,019 0
56 Willie McGee CF 1,979 92 1,887
57 Jimmy Ryan CF 1,945 234 1,593 Includes 118 in Players' League;
held major league record, 1902–1905;
held National League record, 1898-1902
58 Manny Ramirez LF 1,939 1,739 200
59 Paul O'Neill RF 1,932 1,221 711
60 Amos Otis CF 1,928 1,845 83
61 Chet Lemon CF 1,925 1,925 0
62 Bernie Williams CF 1,924 1,924 0
63 Mike Cameron CF 1,921 967 954
64 Duke Snider* CF 1,918 0 1,918
65 Garret Anderson LF 1,913 1,755 158
66 Clyde Milan CF 1,903 1,903 0
67 Curtis Granderson CF 1,897 1,230 667
68 Stan Musial* LF 1,890 0 1,890
69 George Foster LF 1,880 11 1,869
70 Paul Blair CF 1,878 1,811 67
71 Gary Matthews LF 1,876 0 1,876
72 Jim Edmonds CF 1,867 654 1,213
Dave Parker RF 1,867 35 1,832
Devon White CF 1,867 1,245 622
75 Moisés Alou LF 1,864 0 1,864
76 Sherry Magee LF 1,861 0 1,861
77 Dale Murphy CF 1,853 0 1,853
78 Joe Medwick* LF 1,851 0 1,851
79 Edd Roush* CF 1,848 2 1,659 Includes 187 in Federal League
80 Heinie Manush* LF 1,845 1,709 136
81 George Burns LF 1,844 0 1,844
82 Dusty Baker LF 1,842 90 1,752
83 Del Ennis LF 1,840 25 1,815
84 George Van Haltren CF 1,833 0 1,685 Includes 81 in American Association,
67 in Players' League;
held National League record, 1902-1908
85 Juan Pierre CF 1,831 304 1,527
86 Fred Lynn CF 1,825 1,770 55
87 Lloyd Waner* CF 1,818 0 1,818
Cy Williams CF 1,818 0 1,818
89 Patsy Donovan RF 1,816 122 1,572 Includes 122 in American Association
90 George Hendrick RF 1,813 783 1,030
91 Jimmy Wynn CF 1,810 25 1,785
92 Kiki Cuyler* RF 1,807 0 1,807
93 Larry Walker* RF 1,804 0 1,804
94 Dummy Hoy CF 1,796 132 1,403 Includes 139 in American Association,
122 in Players' League
95 Wally Moses RF 1,792 1,792 0
96 Tom Brown CF 1,788 0 1,049 Includes 608 in American Association,
131 in Players' League;
held major league record, 1895-1902
97 Justin Upton LF 1,787 629 1,158
98 Melky Cabrera LF 1,784 1,439 345
99 Adam Jones CF 1,783 1,653 130
100 José Cardenal CF 1,778 746 1,032

Other Hall of Famers

[edit]
Player Main
Pos. 		Games as outfielder Other leagues, notes
MLB American League National League
Joe DiMaggio* CF 1,721 1,721 0
Kirby Puckett* CF 1,696 1,696 0
Hugh Duffy* CF 1,682 77 1,344 Includes 137 in Players' League, 124 in American Association
Minnie Miñoso* LF 1,665 1,638 27 Negro League totals unavailable
Vladimir Guerrero* RF 1,608 616 992
Chuck Klein* RF 1,600 0 1,600
Harry Heilmann* RF 1,594 1,488 106
Earl Averill* CF 1,590 1,586 4
Billy Hamilton* CF 1,587 0 1,415 Includes 172 in American Association
Jim Rice* LF 1,543 1,543 0
Joe Kelley* LF 1,465 48 1,417
Elmer Flick* RF 1,456 922 534
Jim O'Rourke* LF 1,443 0 1,266 Includes 111 in Players' League, 66 in National Association
Larry Doby* CF 1,440 1,440 0 Negro League totals unavailable
Sam Thompson* RF 1,410 8 1,402
Earle Combs* CF 1,387 1,387 0
Ralph Kiner* LF 1,382 87 1,295
Ed Delahanty* LF 1,346 151 1,177 Includes 18 in Players' League
Willie Stargell* LF 1,296 0 1,296
Hack Wilson* CF 1,257 0 1,257
Ned Hanlon* CF 1,254 0 1,133 Includes 121 in Players' League
Robin Yount* CF 1,218 1,218 0
Ross Youngs* RF 1,199 0 1,199
Tommy McCarthy* RF 1,188 0 655 Includes 485 in American Association, 48 in Union Association
Chick Hafey* LF 1,185 0 1,185
Casey Stengel* RF 1,183 0 1,183
Tony Oliva* RF 1,178 1,178 0
Billy Southworth* RF 1,115 45 1,070
Harold Baines* RF 1,061 1,061 0
King Kelly* RF 750 0 737 Includes 7 in American Association, 6 in Players' League
Monte Irvin* LF 585 0 585 Negro League totals unavailable
Freddie Lindstrom* CF 551 0 551
Honus Wagner* RF 374 0 374
Craig Biggio* CF 363 0 363
George Davis* CF 303 0 303
Roger Bresnahan* CF 286 23 263
Willie McCovey* LF 275 0 275
Hank Greenberg* LF 239 239 0
Orlando Cepeda* LF 231 0 231
John Montgomery Ward* CF 214 0 214
Harry Wright* CF 179 0 2 Includes 177 in National Association
Deacon White* RF 165 0 112 Includes 53 in National Association
Cap Anson* LF 86 0 49 Includes 37 in National Association
Paul Molitor* CF 50 50 0
Willard Brown* CF 18 18 0 Negro League totals unavailable
Todd Helton* LF 15 0 15
Joe Mauer* RF 2 2 0

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or has not played for a full season.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Section 20 of the official scorer guidelines
  2. ^ "Ty Cobb Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  3. ^ "Ty Cobb Hall of Fame Profile". National Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  4. ^ Ginsburg, Daniel (January 4, 2012). "Ty Cobb Biography". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  5. ^ "Barry Bonds Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  6. ^ "Willie Mays Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "Rickey Henderson Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "Hank Aaron Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  9. ^ "Tris Speaker Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  10. ^ "Lou Brock Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
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