It’s hard to believe, but baseball has been America’s pastime and most beloved sport since the early 1800s. Since then, many players have taken the field in various capacities and have gone down in history for their efforts. There are pitchers who have struck out a record number of players, batters that have hit all sorts of home runs, and more. We always hear about various sports records and get excited when a modern athlete gets close to beating them. However, the fact remains that some simply cannot be beaten. To show you what we mean, we have a list of baseball records that will never be broken.
The records here cover various positions and plays. Many are pitching records that are unbelievable, like the lowest single-season pitching ERA being below 1.00, the most pitching losses in a year, the most no-hitter games, and more. The batters are no slouches, either. There are players with 58-game hitting streaks, 12 inside-the-park home runs during a season, and 36 triples in a single season. There are batters who have been hit by a record number of pitchers and players who have been on base 379 times — and none of this even includes all of the records that are currently held by Pete Rose.
If you’re a baseball fan, you’re undoubtedly going to be amazed by the talented players who have played the game, especially those from the 1800s. To determine the baseball records that will never be broken, 24/7 Tempo consulted various sports and biographical sources, including the MLB, Fox Sports, ESPN and more. There’s a lot more to discover. For instance, once you’re done learning about the records that will likely never, ever be beaten, check out the most embarrassing records in baseball history.
138 stolen bases in 1 season
There must have been something in the water back in 1887 when baseball great Hugh Nicol set the all-time record of 138 stolen bases. Over time, many players have been applauded for their ability to steal bases, but nothing is remotely close to what Nicol accomplished. The closest in recent years was 60 stolen bases by Dee Strage-Gordon, who stole 60 in 2017 for the Miami Marlins, but that’s not even half. With so many recent rule changes year after year, maybe they’ll end up making bases easier to steal. In the meantime, this record is unbeatable.
Lowest single-season pitching ERA
Our first of the baseball records that will never be broken in the pitching category is the lowest ERA by a pitcher at the end of the year. That record is held by Tim Keefe, who finished with an 0.86 ERA at the end of the 1880 season. The closest modern-day pitcher to get close to this record is Pedro Martinez, who finished with an ERA of 1.74 at the end of the 2000 season. These days, with pitch clocks and more pressure on pitchers, it’s unlikely anyone will be able to compete at this level again.
56-game hitting streak
Back in 1941, baseball great Joe DiMaggio amazed the world when he had at least one hit in 56 straight games. It started against the White Sox on May 15 and went on from there. The previous record was held by Willie Keeler and George Sisler. They each had 44 game steaks. Since DiMaggio, player Pete Rose was the latest to get close with 44 games. While anything is possible, it seems that this is one of the baseball records that will never be broken, especially considering that many players don’t play 56 games straight with or without hits.
.553 on-base percentage in 1 season
Back in 1941, legendary player Ted Williams changed the world when he achieved an unthinkable on-base percentage of .553. That’s a lot of time spent on the base paths, and it was exciting for the fans. That’s a percentage that will likely never be met. In recent history, the closest to that was a .470 by Chipper Jones in 2008. There’s simply too much technology to allow that high of an on-base percentage to happen again. Scouting reports and shifts make it so one player is unlikely to be on base that often unless something changes.
7 no-hitter games
Another of the baseball records that will never be broken is the incredible pitching performance by all-time great Nolan Ryan. During his career, Ryan pitched seven complete games in which the opposing team didn’t get a single hit. This is an incredible feat that no other pitcher has ever even come close to matching. In addition to being a tough record to beat in general, it’s even less likely these days when most pitchers aren’t allowed or are too tired to pitch all nine innings. So, this record is very likely to stay.
198 runs scored in a season
Back in 1894, an unbelievable Billy Hamilton scored 198 runs in a single season, and it’s one of the baseball records that will never be broken. Even the great Babe Ruth was not able to accomplish the same task. His highest was 177, which in itself is unlikely to be broken. In 2000, Jeff Bagwell managed to score 152 runs. That’s probably about as close as some will get. It’s just hard to stay that hot for so long.
Most home runs in a season
At this point, a record that hasn’t been threatened is the most home runs in a season, which is held by Barry Bonds. He hit 73 home runs during the 2001 series and did it with only 664 at-bats. This record was only a few more than Mark McGwire, who had the previous record three years earlier. Since then, the only one to come close has been Yankee player Aaron Judge, who hit 62. However, he did that with more at-bats than Bonds. This appears to be one of those baseball records that will never be broken.
36 triples in a season
There’s something special about getting a triple during a game. It may not be the home run, but it’s still impressive. It’s also not easy. That’s why it’s so shocking that in 1912, Chief Wilson managed to get 36 of them. Few players have even come close to matching this record. In 2007, Curtis Granderson got 23, which is still impressive. However, in recent years, scouting reports and strategic management by the opposing team have made it so that triples have become very rare.
Most single-season losses by a pitcher
It’s not a great record, but the record for most lost games by a pitcher belongs to John Coleman, who pitched 48 losing games during the 1883 season. Few pitchers have been able to get even halfway to that record. The most losses by a pitcher in the modern era is Mike Maroth, who had 21 losses in the 2003 season. This record is unlikely to be broken, because, these days, most pitchers can’t play that many games if they continue to lose. Plus, no one should strive to hit that record.
191 RBIs in 1 season
Usually, a team that has a record number of RBIs (Runs Batted In) is on the fast track to success. Still, while amassing RBIs is the goal of every player, none have come close to the 191 RBIs that player Hack Wilson hit during the golden age of baseball in 1930. The only player to get anywhere close was Miguel Cabrera, who had 139 RBIs in the 2012 season. A lot of things need to go right to get a high number of Runs Batted In, so this record seems to be set for now.
Most times hit by a pitch during a season
While not the most glamorous record on this list, this is another of the baseball records that will never be broken. It’s how many times a batter was hit by a pitch during the course of a season. In 1896, Hughie Jennings was hit by a pitch 51 times during the season. In 1971, Ron Hunt was hit 50 times by a pitch. That’s likely as close to the record as anyone will get. Pitchers are better at what they do these days, plus many umpires will eject a pitcher if they’re purposely hitting batters.
16 shutout games during a season
He may not be a household name, but Grover Alexander was one of the best pitchers of all time. One of his claims to fame was in 1916 when he pitched 16 shutout games. He did this while pitching all nine innings of each game. The only pitcher to get close was Felix Hernandez, who threw five shutout games in 2012. This is one of the baseball records that will never be broken, especially since most pitchers don’t play full games anymore. Plus, Alexander was an incredibly special talent.
12 inside-the-park home runs during a season
Baseball fans will know that witnessing an inside-the-park home run is a rarity. Seeing more than a handful during the entire season is often an accomplishment. However, in 1901, player Sam Crawford managed to get 12 of them during one season. It’s truly remarkable. Even more so when you realize that most players don’t get half of that during their entire career. Needless to say, seeing someone pass that record would be incredible and unlikely.
Youngest player to ever play
The youngest player to ever play baseball was Joe Nuxhall, who was 15 years old when he played as a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds back in 1944. The talent scouts were interested in his father, but he didn’t want to play, so they signed Joe. He only played one game and was then sent down to the minors. There have also been 16- and 17-year-olds who played with varying levels of success. The reason this record won’t ever be broken is because today, a player must be at least 18 years old, so it literally cannot be beaten.
75 complete games pitched in a season
Unless the game changes radically in some way, it’s close to impossible that the record for most complete games pitched in a season will ever be beaten. During the 1879 season, pitcher Will White pitched an incredible 75 complete games from start to finish. Since then, the closest player to that has been Robin Roberts, who pitched 33 complete games. In the modern era, the closest was Sandy Alcantara, who pitched five games. Pitchers very rarely go more than seven innings, and many times, that’s hard for them to do even that, so consider this unbeatable.
Most games ever played
The record for most major league baseball games played is owned by Pete Rose. During his long career, he played in 3,562 games. It didn’t hurt that he had a career that lasted over 20 years. Still, even players who are actively in the game will have trouble ever touching that record. Many players retire earlier or get hurt and so that seems to be a record that will be left alone for the foreseeable future.
Other Pete Rose records
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 07: Former Philadelphia Phillies player Pete Rose acknowledges the crowd prior to the game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on August 7, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
It’s worth noting that a good number of baseball records that will never be broken were achieved by Pete Rose. He played for a long time and gave his all during every game. His other hard-to-beat records include:
- All Time at Bats – 14,053 (Most don’t get close to 10,000)
- All Time Singles – 3,215 (Most struggle to get close to 2,000)
- All Time Outs Made – 10,328 (The closest players are still 2,000 outs short)
Most baseball players don’t dream of playing for as long as Rose did, so these records are likely safe.
Impressive .429 batting average during 1 season
We see batting averages come in a variety of numbers, from low figures to mid-300s, but a batting average of above .400 is relatively unheard of. The highest batting average for a player was set in 1876 by Ross Barnes, who finished the season with a .429 batting average. Since then, one of the closest players was Nap Lajoie, who finished with a .426. In recent years, the closest batting average was .364 by DJ LeMahieu in 2020. To get the high batting average that Barnes reached, everything must go right, and the batter can make very few mistakes.
513 single-season strikeouts
Getting a strikeout is the primary objective of a pitcher, yet, many struggle to get it done. One man who didn’t struggle is Matt Kilroy. During his 1886 season, he recorded 513 strikeouts. The closest player to threaten that record was Nolan Ryan, who recorded 383 strikeouts in 1973. With pitch clocks and constant pressures, strikeouts are harder to come by these days, so this record appears safe.
Most consecutive games played
Cal Ripkin holds the record for the most consecutive games played at 2,632 games. He played every game for 17 years. That’s unbelievable. That’s almost like going to work every day and never calling out sick for almost two decades. If another player played long enough, they may have a chance to beat this record, but it doesn’t seem likely in today’s day and age.
379 times on base during 1 season
Getting on base is a great thing. It’s a chance to score and put points on the board. However, getting on base is often harder than it seems. However, one man, the famous Babe Ruth, made it happen. He got on base 379 times during the 1923 season. It meant that Ruth was on base over 50% of the time. The closest man to do it in the last 25 years was Carlos Delgado, who got on base 334 times during the 2000 series. It’s no wonder why Babe makes our list of the best athletes ever to play baseball.