List of Major League Baseball career games played leaders

Last updated

Pete Rose, the all-time leader in games played. Pete rose at bat.jpg
Pete Rose, the all-time leader in games played.

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] although, 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 as he is not credited with a game started or an inning pitched.

Contents

Ty Cobb was the first player to reach 3,000 games played. Cobb's record of 3,035 games played lasted for 46 seasons until Hank Aaron would break the record. Aaron's record was subsequently broken by Carl Yastrzemski in 1983 and finally broken the following season by Pete Rose, who currently holds the record for most games played at 3,562. Rickey Henderson, Eddie Murray, Stan Musial, Albert Pujols, Willie Mays, and Cal Ripken Jr. are the only other players to play in over 3,000 career games.

As of September 27, 2024, no active players are in the top 100 for career games played. The active leader is Andrew McCutchen in 181st with 2,127.

Key

RankRank amongst leaders in career games played. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2025 Gs)Number of games played during the 2025 Major League Baseball season.
GTotal career games played.
*Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame.
BoldDenotes active player. [a]

List

Andrew McCutchen, the active leader and 181st all-time in career games played. Andrew McCutchen, April 2014.JPG
Andrew McCutchen, the active leader and 181st all-time in career games played.
RankPlayer (2025 Gs)G
1 Pete Rose 3,562
2 Carl Yastrzemski*3,308
3 Hank Aaron*3,298
4 Rickey Henderson*3,081
5 Albert Pujols 3,080
6 Ty Cobb *3,035
7 Eddie Murray*3,026
Stan Musial*3,026
9 Willie Mays*3,005
10 Cal Ripken Jr.*3,001
11 Barry Bonds 2,986
12 Dave Winfield*2,973
13 Omar Vizquel 2,968
14 Rusty Staub 2,951
15 Adrián Beltré*2,933
16 Brooks Robinson*2,896
17 Robin Yount*2,856
18 Craig Biggio*2,850
19 Al Kaline*2,834
20 Rafael Palmeiro 2,831
21 Harold Baines*2,830
22 Eddie Collins*2,826
23 Reggie Jackson*2,820
24 Frank Robinson*2,808
25 Miguel Cabrera 2,797
26 Honus Wagner*2,794
27 Tris Speaker*2,789
28 Alex Rodriguez 2,784
29 Tony Pérez*2,777
30 Derek Jeter*2,747
31 Mel Ott*2,730
32 George Brett*2,707
33 Graig Nettles 2,700
34 Darrell Evans 2,687
35 Paul Molitor*2,683
36 Ken Griffey Jr.*2,671
37 Rabbit Maranville*2,670
38 Ichiro Suzuki*2,653
39 Joe Morgan*2,649
40 Andre Dawson*2,627
41 Lou Brock*2,616
42 Dwight Evans 2,606
43 Luis Aparicio*2,599
44 Luis Gonzalez 2,591
45 Willie McCovey*2,588
46 Carlos Beltrán 2,586
47 Steve Finley 2,583
48 Gary Sheffield 2,576
49 Ozzie Smith*2,573
50 Paul Waner*2,549
RankPlayer (2025 Gs)G
51 Iván Rodríguez*2,543
Jim Thome*2,543
53 Ernie Banks*2,528
54 Julio Franco 2,527
55 Cap Anson*2,524
56 Bill Buckner 2,517
Sam Crawford*2,517
58 Gary Gaetti 2,507
59 Babe Ruth*2,503
60 Tim Raines*2,502
61 Carlton Fisk*2,499
Chipper Jones*2,499
63 Johnny Damon 2,490
64 Dave Concepción 2,488
Billy Williams*2,488
66 Nap Lajoie*2,480
67 Max Carey*2,476
68 Rod Carew*2,469
Vada Pinson 2,469
70 Dave Parker*2,466
71 Fred McGriff*2,460
72 Ted Simmons*2,456
73 Bill Dahlen 2,443
74 Ron Fairly 2,442
75 Tony Gwynn*2,440
76 Wade Boggs*2,439
77 Chili Davis 2,436
78 Harmon Killebrew*2,435
79 Roberto Clemente*2,433
80 Willie Davis 2,429
81 Bobby Abreu 2,425
82 Luke Appling*2,422
83 Zack Wheat*2,410
84 Mickey Vernon 2,409
85 David Ortiz*2,408
86 Buddy Bell 2,405
87 Sam Rice*2,404
Mike Schmidt*2,404
89 Mickey Mantle*2,401
90 Jake Beckley*2,392
91 Eddie Mathews*2,391
92 Lou Whitaker 2,390
93 Bobby Wallace*2,383
94 Enos Slaughter*2,380
95 Roberto Alomar*2,379
96 Torii Hunter 2,372
97 George Davis*2,368
Al Oliver 2,368
99 Nellie Fox*2,367
100 Willie Stargell*2,360

Notes

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

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References

  1. ↑ Section 20 of the official scorer guidelines
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