In baseball statistics, a pitcher is credited with a game started (denoted by GS) if he is the first pitcher to pitch for his team in a game.
Cy Young [1] [2] [3] holds the Major League Baseball games started record with 815. Young is the only pitcher in MLB history to start more than 800 career games. Nolan Ryan [4] (773), Don Sutton [5] (756), Greg Maddux [6] (740), Phil Niekro [7] (716), Steve Carlton [8] (709), Roger Clemens [9] (707), and Tommy John [10] (700) are the only other pitchers to have started 700 or more games their career.
Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career wins. A blank field indicates a tie. |
Player (2025 GS) | Number of games started during the 2025 Major League Baseball season |
GS | Total career games started |
* | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame. |
---|---|
Bold | Denotes active player. [note 1] |
Rank | Player (2025 GS) | GS |
---|---|---|
1 | Cy Young* | 815 |
2 | Nolan Ryan* | 773 |
3 | Don Sutton* | 756 |
4 | Greg Maddux* | 740 |
5 | Phil Niekro* | 716 |
6 | Steve Carlton* | 709 |
7 | Roger Clemens | 707 |
8 | Tommy John | 700 |
9 | Gaylord Perry* | 690 |
10 | Pud Galvin* | 688 |
11 | Bert Blyleven* | 685 |
12 | Tom Glavine* | 682 |
13 | Walter Johnson* | 666 |
14 | Warren Spahn* | 665 |
15 | Tom Seaver* | 647 |
16 | Jamie Moyer | 638 |
17 | Jim Kaat* | 625 |
18 | Frank Tanana | 616 |
19 | Early Wynn* | 612 |
20 | Robin Roberts* | 609 |
21 | Randy Johnson* | 603 |
22 | Grover Cleveland Alexander* | 600 |
23 | Ferguson Jenkins* | 594 |
Tim Keefe* | 594 | |
25 | Bobby Matthews | 568 |
26 | Dennis Martínez | 562 |
27 | Kid Nichols* | 561 |
28 | CC Sabathia* | 560 |
29 | Eppa Rixey* | 554 |
30 | Bartolo Colón | 552 |
Christy Mathewson* | 552 | |
32 | Justin Verlander (24) | 550 |
33 | Mickey Welch* | 549 |
34 | Jerry Reuss | 547 |
35 | Zack Greinke | 541 |
36 | Red Ruffing* | 538 |
37 | Mike Mussina* | 536 |
38 | Eddie Plank* | 529 |
Rick Reuschel | 529 | |
40 | Jerry Koosman | 527 |
Jack Morris* | 527 | |
42 | Jim Palmer* | 521 |
Andy Pettitte | 521 | |
44 | Jim Bunning* | 519 |
45 | John Clarkson* | 518 |
46 | Jack Powell | 516 |
47 | Gus Weyhing | 505 |
48 | Tony Mullane | 504 |
49 | Charlie Radbourn* | 503 |
50 | Joe Niekro | 500 |
Rank | Player (2025 GS) | GS |
---|---|---|
51 | Bob Friend | 497 |
Burleigh Grimes* | 497 | |
53 | Mickey Lolich | 496 |
54 | Mark Buehrle | 493 |
55 | David Wells | 489 |
56 | Claude Osteen | 488 |
57 | Sad Sam Jones | 487 |
58 | Jim McCormick | 485 |
59 | Bob Feller* | 484 |
Ted Lyons* | 484 | |
Luis Tiant | 484 | |
62 | Red Faber* | 483 |
Bobo Newsom | 483 | |
64 | Bob Gibson* | 482 |
65 | John Smoltz* | 481 |
66 | Tim Hudson | 479 |
67 | Kevin Brown | 476 |
Catfish Hunter* | 476 | |
69 | Liván Hernández | 474 |
Kenny Rogers | 474 | |
71 | Vida Blue | 473 |
Earl Whitehill | 473 | |
73 | Vic Willis* | 471 |
74 | Max Scherzer (13) | 470 |
75 | Chuck Finley | 467 |
76 | Orel Hershiser | 466 |
77 | Don Drysdale* | 465 |
Milt Pappas | 465 | |
79 | Doyle Alexander | 464 |
80 | Tim Wakefield | 463 |
81 | Curt Simmons | 462 |
Bob Welch | 462 | |
83 | Mike Torrez | 458 |
84 | Lefty Grove* | 457 |
Juan Marichal* | 457 | |
86 | Rick Wise | 455 |
87 | Jon Lester | 451 |
88 | Jim Perry | 447 |
89 | Clayton Kershaw (17) | 446 |
John Lackey | 446 | |
91 | Paul Derringer | 445 |
92 | Kevin Millwood | 443 |
Jack Quinn | 443 | |
Javier Vázquez | 443 | |
95 | Charlie Hough | 440 |
Mike Moore | 440 | |
97 | Whitey Ford* | 438 |
98 | Curt Schilling | 436 |
99 | Mel Harder | 433 |
Carl Hubbell* | 433 | |
Billy Pierce | 433 |