List of Major League Baseball career double plays as a first baseman leaders

Mickey Vernon, the leader in all-time double plays by a first baseman

In baseball statistics, a double play (denoted as DP) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. One double play is recorded for every defensive player who participates in the play, regardless of how many of the outs in which they were directly involved, and is counted in addition to whatever putouts and assists might also apply. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs. ^[1]

Most of the career leaders are relatively recent players who have benefitted from improved infield defense, with equipment of better quality; 10 of the top 13 players made their major league debut after 1970. Longer careers have compensated for the fact that as strikeout totals have risen in baseball, the frequency of other defensive outs including ground outs has declined, with double play totals for first basemen likewise declining; 16 of the top 20 single-season totals were recorded between 1944 and 1980. ^[2] Because a right-handed first baseman needs to turn their body before throwing across the infield, left-handed first basemen are often preferred for defensive purposes; 14 of the top 21 career double-play leaders are left-handed. Mickey Vernon holds the record for the most career double plays by a first baseman with 2,044. ^[3] Eddie Murray (2,033) and Todd Helton (2,028) are the only other first basemen who have recorded 2,000 career double plays.

Key

Rank	Rank among leaders in career double plays. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2024 DPs)	Recorded double plays in 2024
MLB	Total career double plays as a first baseman in Major League Baseball
*	Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Bold	Denotes active player [lower-alpha 1]

List

Joey Votto, the active leader and 29th all-time in double plays by a first baseman

Todd Helton holds the National League record.

Charlie Grimm held the National League record for 80 years.

Jake Beckley held the major league record for 21 years.

Cap Anson reached 1,000 double plays before any other first baseman.

Ferris Fain holds the single-season record of 194 double plays.

• Stats updated as of June 12, 2024.

Rank	Player (2024 DPs)	Double plays as a first baseman			Other leagues, notes
		MLB	American League	National League
1	Mickey Vernon	2,044	2,041	3
2	Eddie Murray*	2,033	1,500	533	Holds record for right-handed first baseman
3	Todd Helton*	2,028	0	2,028
4	Rafael Palmeiro	1,782	1,766	16
5	Fred McGriff*	1,775	882	893
6	Joe Kuhel	1,769	1,769	0	Held major league record, 1946–1955; held American League record, 1944–1955; held the single-season record, 1935-1938
7	Charlie Grimm	1,733	0	1,733	Held major league record, 1932–1946; held National League record, 1930–2010; held the single-season record, 1924-1926
8	Albert Pujols	1,702	439	1,263
9	Chris Chambliss	1,687	1,073	614
10	Paul Konerko	1,660	1,650	10
11	Keith Hernandez	1,654	28	1,626
12	Andrés Galarraga	1,648	28	1,620
13	Jeff Bagwell*	1,618	0	1,618
14	Gil Hodges*	1,614	0	1,614	Held the National League single-season record, 1950-1966
15	Wally Joyner	1,611	1,227	384
16	John Olerud	1,581	1,210	371
17	Lou Gehrig*	1,575	1,575	0	Held American League record, 1938–1944; held the single-season record, 1938-1944
18	Will Clark	1,571	612	959
19	Jim Bottomley*	1,562	119	1,443	Held the single-season record, 1927–1935; held the National League single-season record, 1927-1938
20	Joe Judge	1,543	1,519	24	Held American League record, 1928–1938; held the single-season record, 1922-1923 (tie); held the AL single-season record, 1922-1925 (tie)
21	Mark Grace	1,533	0	1,533
22	Jimmie Foxx*	1,528	1,477	51
23	Don Mattingly	1,500	1,500	0
24	Steve Garvey	1,498	0	1,498
25	Carlos Delgado	1,496	1,045	451
26	George Sisler*	1,495	1,161	334	Held major league record, 1929–1932; held the single-season record, 1926–1927; held the American League single-season record, 1917-1918 (tie), 1926-1934
27	George Scott	1,480	1,480	0
28	Derrek Lee	1,442	67	1,375
29	Joey Votto (0)	1,432	0	1,432
30	Paul Goldschmidt (61)	1,430	0	1,430
31	Mark Teixeira	1,418	1,287	131
32	Freddie Freeman (44)	1,417	0	1,417
33	Mark McGwire	1,408	1,012	396
34	Willie McCovey*	1,405	0	1,405
35	Tino Martinez	1,398	1,187	211
36	Adrián González	1,381	226	1,155
37	Cecil Cooper	1,348	1,348	0
38	Norm Cash	1,347	1,347	0
39	Tony Pérez*	1,342	213	1,129
40	Stuffy McInnis	1,338	1,001	337	Held major league record, 1926–1929; held the single-season record, 1923-1924 (tie)
41	Bill Terry*	1,334	0	1,334
42	Kent Hrbek	1,331	1,331	0
43	Wally Pipp	1,329	1,034	295	Held the American League single-season record, 1917-1918 (tie), 1920–1921; held the National League single-season record, 1926-1927
44	Jake Beckley*	1,327	0	1,266	Includes 61 in Players' League; held major league record, 1905-1926
45	Johnny Mize*	1,320	215	1,105
46	John Mayberry	1,307	1,257	50
47	J. T. Snow	1,298	415	883
48	Ted Kluszewski	1,269	102	1,167
49	Bill Skowron	1,266	1,222	44
50	George McQuinn	1,265	1,235	30	Held the single-season record, 1940-1944 (tie)
51	Eric Karros	1,257	15	1,242
52	Adam LaRoche	1,249	44	1,205
53	Lee May	1,235	335	900
54	Cap Anson*	1,232	0	1,191	Includes 41 in National Association; held major league record, 1886–1905; held the single-season record, 1884–1889; held National League single-season record, 1884-1892
55	Joe Adcock	1,228	268	960
56	Frank McCormick	1,221	0	1,221	Held the National League single-season record, 1939-1950
57	Jake Daubert	1,201	0	1,201
58	Bill Buckner	1,200	410	790
59	Lu Blue	1,196	1,196	0
	Eric Hosmer	1,196	807	389
61	Orlando Cepeda*	1,192	0	1,192
	Anthony Rizzo (44)	1,192	203	989
63	Dolph Camilli	1,189	62	1,127
64	Justin Morneau	1,180	988	192
65	Bill White	1,157	0	1,157
66	Hal Trosky	1,146	1,146	0	Held the American League single-season record, 1934-1935
67	George Burns	1,145	1,145	0	Held the American League single-season record, 1918-1920
68	Carlos Peña	1,140	1,036	104
69	Donn Clendenon	1,136	0	1,136	Holds the National League single-season record of 182 (set in 1966)
70	Boog Powell	1,131	1,130	1
71	Rod Carew*	1,130	1,130	0
72	Lyle Overbay	1,125	699	426
73	Ferris Fain	1,124	1,124	0	Holds the single-season record of 194 (set in 1949)
74	Mo Vaughn	1,119	1,003	116
75	George Kelly*	1,113	0	1,113	Held the National League single-season record, 1921-1923
76	Ryan Howard	1,106	0	1,106
77	Earl Torgeson	1,097	346	751
78	Ed Konetchy	1,093	0	1,010	Includes 83 in Federal League
	Jason Thompson	1,090	593	497
80	Elbie Fletcher	1,086	0	1,086
	Pete O'Brien	1,086	1,086	0
	Gus Suhr	1,086	0	1,086	Held the National League single-season record, 1938-1939
83	Rudy York	1,072	1,072	0	Held the single-season record, 1944-1949
84	Vic Power	1,056	1,047	9
85	Mike Hargrove	1,043	1,019	24
86	José Abreu (25)	1,033	1,033	0
87	Prince Fielder	1,025	292	733
88	Eddie Robinson	1,018	1,018	0
89	Phil Cavarretta	1,012	29	983
90	Ernie Banks*	1,005	0	1,005
91	Chris Davis	1,002	1,002	0
92	Jason Giambi	995	947	48
93	Dan Driessen	979	0	979
94	Miguel Cabrera	974	974	0
95	Hank Greenberg*	973	888	85
96	Carlos Santana (31)	969	774	195
97	Walt Dropo	968	926	42
98	Willie Montañez	962	15	947
99	Jim Spencer	956	956	0
	Fred Tenney	956	0	956

Other Hall of Famers

Player	Double plays as a first baseman			Other leagues, notes
	MLB	American League	National League
Roger Connor*	955	0	876	Includes 79 in the Players' League
Stan Musial*	935	0	935
Jim Thome*	913	638	275
Dan Brouthers*	891	0	730	Includes 82 in American Association, 79 in Players' League
Frank Thomas*	776	776	0
Charles Comiskey*	743	0	199	Includes 492 in American Association, 52 in the Players' League
Willie Stargell*	701	0	701
Harmon Killebrew*	678	678	0
Carl Yastrzemski*	610	610	0
Joe Torre*	607	0	607
Joe Mauer*	481	481	0
Frank Chance*	470	2	468
George Brett*	365	365	0
Ben Taylor*	260	0	0	Includes 143 in Negro National League (first), 100 in Eastern Colored League, 17 in American Negro League (incomplete)
Buck Leonard*	247	0	0	Includes 247 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
Frank Robinson*	237	50	187
Harry Heilmann*	221	202	19
Mule Suttles*	206	0	0	Includes 105 in Negro National League (first), 79 in Negro National League (second), 22 in East–West League (incomplete)
David Ortiz*	177	177	0
Mickey Mantle *	173	173	0
Paul Molitor*	169	169	0
Jackie Robinson*	169	0	169	Negro League totals unavailable
Hughie Jennings*	159	2	147	Includes 10 in American Association
Ed Delahanty*	154	5	149
Buck Ewing*	145	0	145
Ted Simmons*	142	61	81
Honus Wagner*	141	0	141
Oscar Charleston*	139	0	0	Includes 103 in Negro National League (second), 29 in Negro National League (first), 6 in American Negro League, 1 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete)
Nap Lajoie*	137	64	73
Joe Kelley*	136	4	132
Buck O'Neil*	115	0	0	Includes 115 in Negro American League (incomplete)
Jud Wilson*	111	0	0	Includes 68 in Negro National League (second), 31 in American Negro League, 12 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete)
Jim O'Rourke*	110	0	45	Includes 65 in National Association
Deacon White*	65	0	32	Includes 33 in the Players' League
Martín Dihigo*	18	0	0	Includes 8 in American Negro League, 8 in Eastern Colored League, 2 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)

Notes

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

References

1. "Official Baseball Rules (2022 Edition): Rule 9.11" (PDF). Major League Baseball. Retrieved 23 Dec 2022.
2. "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Double Plays Turned as 1B". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
3. "Mickey Vernon Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 8, 2022.

External links

• "Career Leaders & Records for Double Plays Turned as 1B". Baseball-Reference.com.