List of Major League Baseball career games played as a shortstop 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;[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. Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is a baseball or softball fielding position in the infield, commonly stationed between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. The position is mostly filled by defensive specialists, so shortstops are generally relatively poor batters who typically hit lower in the batting order. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the shortstop is assigned the number 6.
Although there have been players with long careers at shortstop throughout major league history, they were more rare until the 1950s as expectations for their offensive contributions gradually increased. When batting expectations were lower, shortstops could be more easily replaced as their defensive ability declined by players with roughly equivalent hitting capability. 21 of the top 27 players in career games at shortstop made their major league debuts after 1950. Omar Vizquel is the all-time leader in games played as a shortstop,[2][3] having played 2,709 games at the position in his career. 19 players in major league history have played over 2,000 career games at shortstop, the second most of all positions behind only first basemen.
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 |
MLB | Total career games played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball |
* | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame |
---|---|
Bold | Denotes active player[a] |
List
[edit]





- Stats updated as of August 3, 2024.
Rank | Player (2024 Gs) | Games as shortstop | Other leagues, notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLB | American League | National League | |||
1 | Omar Vizquel | 2,709 | 2,180 | 529 | |
2 | Derek Jeter* | 2,674 | 2,674 | 0 | |
3 | Luis Aparicio* | 2,581 | 2,581 | 0 | Held major league record, 1970-2008; held American League record, 1970-2014 |
4 | Ozzie Smith* | 2,511 | 0 | 2,511 | |
5 | Cal Ripken Jr.* | 2,302 | 2,302 | 0 | |
6 | Jimmy Rollins | 2,227 | 35 | 2,192 | |
7 | Larry Bowa | 2,222 | 0 | 2,222 | Held National League record, 1985-1993 |
8 | Luke Appling* | 2,218 | 2,218 | 0 | Held major league record, 1949-1970; held American League record, 1947-1970 |
9 | Dave Concepción | 2,178 | 0 | 2,178 | |
10 | Rabbit Maranville* | 2,153 | 0 | 2,153 | Held major league record, 1931-1949; held National League record, 1931-1985 |
11 | Alan Trammell* | 2,139 | 2,139 | 0 | |
12 | Bill Dahlen | 2,133 | 0 | 2,133 | Held major league record, 1908-1931; held National League record, 1907-1931 |
13 | Édgar Rentería | 2,114 | 291 | 1,823 | |
14 | Bert Campaneris | 2,097 | 2,097 | 0 | |
15 | Barry Larkin* | 2,085 | 0 | 2,085 | |
16 | Tommy Corcoran | 2,078 | 0 | 1,819 | Includes 133 in American Association, 126 in Players' League; held major league record, 1904-1908; held National League record, 1905-1907 |
17 | Royce Clayton | 2,053 | 644 | 1,409 | |
18 | Roy McMillan | 2,028 | 0 | 2,028 | |
19 | Pee Wee Reese* | 2,014 | 0 | 2,014 | |
20 | Roger Peckinpaugh | 1,982 | 1,982 | 0 | Held American League record, 1926-1947 |
21 | Elvis Andrus (0) | 1,966 | 1,966 | 0 | |
22 | Garry Templeton | 1,964 | 0 | 1,964 | |
23 | Don Kessinger | 1,955 | 198 | 1,757 | |
24 | Miguel Tejada | 1,946 | 1,531 | 415 | |
25 | Mark Belanger | 1,942 | 1,898 | 44 | |
26 | Chris Speier | 1,900 | 12 | 1,888 | |
27 | Ozzie Guillén | 1,896 | 1,772 | 124 | |
28 | Honus Wagner* | 1,887 | 0 | 1,887 | |
29 | Dick Groat | 1,877 | 0 | 1,877 | |
30 | Dave Bancroft* | 1,873 | 0 | 1,873 | |
31 | Donie Bush | 1,866 | 1,866 | 0 | Held American League record, 1918-1926 |
32 | Alfredo Griffin | 1,861 | 1,389 | 472 | |
33 | Orlando Cabrera | 1,843 | 824 | 1,019 | |
Leo Cárdenas | 1,843 | 705 | 1,138 | ||
Joe Cronin* | 1,843 | 1,832 | 11 | ||
36 | Bobby Wallace* | 1,826 | 1,452 | 374 | Held American League record, 1910-1918 |
37 | Ed Brinkman | 1,795 | 1,771 | 24 | |
Herman Long | 1,795 | 60 | 1,607 | Includes 128 in American Association; held major league record, 1902-1904; held National League record, 1902-1905 | |
39 | Greg Gagne | 1,765 | 1,495 | 270 | |
40 | Bill Russell | 1,746 | 0 | 1,746 | |
41 | Joe Tinker* | 1,745 | 0 | 1,604 | Includes 141 in Federal League |
42 | Dick Bartell | 1,679 | 144 | 1,535 | |
43 | Monte Cross | 1,678 | 712 | 966 | |
44 | Germany Smith | 1,667 | 0 | 1,105 | Includes 537 in American Association, 25 in Union Association; held major league record, 1898-1902 |
45 | Phil Rizzuto* | 1,647 | 1,647 | 0 | |
46 | Everett Scott | 1,643 | 1,639 | 4 | |
47 | Brandon Crawford (17) | 1,634 | 0 | 1,634 | |
48 | Jack Glasscock | 1,629 | 0 | 1,593 | Includes 36 in Union Association; held major league record, 1887-1898; held National League record, 1885-1902 |
49 | George McBride | 1,627 | 1,449 | 178 | |
José Reyes | 1,627 | 303 | 1,324 | ||
51 | Mickey Doolin | 1,625 | 0 | 1,337 | Includes 288 in Federal League |
52 | Freddie Patek | 1,588 | 1,325 | 263 | |
53 | Mike Bordick | 1,577 | 1,521 | 56 | |
54 | Tony Fernández | 1,573 | 1,217 | 356 | |
55 | Ed McKean | 1,565 | 0 | 1,364 | Includes 201 in American Association |
56 | Maury Wills | 1,555 | 0 | 1,555 | |
57 | Rafael Furcal | 1,554 | 0 | 1,554 | |
58 | Álex González | 1,548 | 249 | 1,299 | |
59 | Marty Marion | 1,547 | 63 | 1,484 | |
60 | J.J. Hardy | 1,544 | 987 | 557 | |
61 | Billy Jurges | 1,540 | 0 | 1,540 | |
62 | Lou Boudreau* | 1,539 | 1,539 | 0 | |
63 | Tim Foli | 1,524 | 241 | 1,283 | |
64 | Frankie Crosetti | 1,516 | 1,516 | 0 | |
65 | Jay Bell | 1,515 | 259 | 1,256 | |
66 | Leo Durocher* | 1,509 | 122 | 1,387 | |
67 | Arky Vaughan* | 1,485 | 0 | 1,485 | |
68 | Alcides Escobar | 1,484 | 1,209 | 275 | |
69 | Robin Yount* | 1,479 | 1,479 | 0 | |
70 | Walt Weiss | 1,462 | 522 | 940 | |
71 | Jhonny Peralta | 1,459 | 1,152 | 307 | |
72 | Art Fletcher | 1,448 | 0 | 1,448 | |
73 | Wally Gerber | 1,447 | 1,409 | 38 | |
74 | Alvin Dark | 1,404 | 0 | 1,404 | |
75 | Bud Harrelson | 1,400 | 87 | 1,313 | |
76 | Jim Fregosi | 1,396 | 1,373 | 23 | |
77 | Eddie Miller | 1,395 | 0 | 1,395 | |
78 | Rafael Ramírez | 1,386 | 0 | 1,386 | |
79 | Bucky Dent | 1,382 | 1,382 | 0 | |
80 | Johnny Logan | 1,380 | 0 | 1,380 | |
81 | George Davis* | 1,374 | 716 | 658 | |
82 | Spike Owen | 1,373 | 834 | 539 | |
83 | Shawon Dunston | 1,363 | 14 | 1,349 | |
84 | Dick Schofield | 1,348 | 1,204 | 144 | |
85 | Xander Bogaerts (1) | 1,339 | 1,192 | 147 | |
86 | Erick Aybar | 1,337 | 1,145 | 192 | |
87 | Vern Stephens | 1,330 | 1,330 | 0 | |
88 | Travis Jackson* | 1,326 | 0 | 1,326 | |
89 | Francisco Lindor (110) | 1,314 | 763 | 551 | |
90 | Iván DeJesús | 1,303 | 14 | 1,289 | |
91 | Eddie Joost | 1,299 | 927 | 372 | |
92 | Cristian Guzmán | 1,295 | 836 | 459 | |
93 | Jack Wilson | 1,274 | 104 | 1,170 | |
94 | Alex Rodriguez | 1,272 | 1,272 | 0 | |
95 | Troy Tulowitzki | 1,268 | 235 | 1,033 | |
96 | Zoilo Versalles | 1,265 | 1,122 | 143 | |
97 | Alex Gonzalez | 1,262 | 886 | 376 | |
98 | Chico Carrasquel | 1,241 | 1,241 | 0 | |
99 | Craig Reynolds | 1,240 | 280 | 960 | |
100 | Bones Ely | 1,238 | 150 | 1,052 | Includes 36 in American Association |
Other Hall of Famers
[edit]Player | Games as shortstop | Other leagues, notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
MLB | American League | National League | ||
Joe Sewell* | 1,216 | 1,216 | 0 | |
Ernie Banks* | 1,125 | 0 | 1,125 | |
Willie Wells* | 965 | 0 | 0 | Includes 607 in Negro National League (first), 315 in Negro National League (second), 39 in East–West League, 4 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
Hughie Jennings* | 897 | 1 | 828 | Includes 68 in American Association |
John Montgomery Ward* | 826 | 0 | 698 | Includes 128 in Players' League |
George Wright* | 530 | 0 | 269 | Includes 261 in National Association; held major league record, 1875-1882; held National League record, 1876-1877 |
Rogers Hornsby* | 356 | 0 | 356 | |
John McGraw* | 183 | 0 | 162 | Includes 21 in American Association |
John Henry Lloyd* | 137 | 0 | 0 | Includes 90 in Negro National League (first), 47 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete) |
Martín Dihigo* | 110 | 0 | 0 | Includes 71 in Eastern Colored League, 36 in American Negro League, 3 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
Ed Delahanty* | 94 | 0 | 18 | Includes 76 in the Players' League |
King Kelly* | 90 | 0 | 62 | Includes 27 in the Players' League, 1 in American Association |
Tony Lazzeri* | 87 | 62 | 25 | |
Ray Dandridge* | 34 | 0 | 0 | Includes 34 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
Jackie Robinson* | 34 | 0 | 1 | Includes 33 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
Adrián Beltré* | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Notes
[edit]- ^ A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.
References
[edit]- ^ Section 20 of the official scorer guidelines
- ^ "Omar Vizquel Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
- ^ Bodig, Chris (December 2, 2020). "The Polarizing Hall of Fame Case of Omar Vizquel". Cooperstown Cred. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
External links
[edit]- "Career Leaders & Records for Def. Games as SS". Baseball-Reference.com.