In the sport of baseball, a loss is a statistic credited to the pitcher of the losing team who allows the run that gives the opposing team the lead with which the game is won (the go-ahead run). The losing pitcher is the pitcher who allows the go-ahead run to reach base for a lead that the winning team never relinquishes. If a pitcher allows a run which gives the opposing team the lead, his team comes back to lead or tie the game, and then the opposing team regains the lead against a subsequent pitcher, the earlier pitcher does not get the loss.
Cy Young holds the MLB loss record with 316; Pud Galvin is second with 308. Young and Galvin are the only players to earn 300 or more losses.
Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career games lost. A blank field indicates a tie. |
Player | Name of player. |
L | Total career games lost |
* | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame. |
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Rank | Player | L |
---|---|---|
1 | Cy Young * | 316 |
2 | Pud Galvin * | 308 |
3 | Nolan Ryan * | 292 |
4 | Walter Johnson * | 279 |
5 | Phil Niekro * | 274 |
6 | Gaylord Perry * | 265 |
7 | Don Sutton * | 256 |
8 | Jack Powell | 254 |
9 | Eppa Rixey * | 251 |
10 | Bert Blyleven * | 250 |
11 | Bobby Mathews | 248 |
12 | Robin Roberts * | 245 |
Warren Spahn * | 245 | |
14 | Steve Carlton * | 244 |
Early Wynn * | 244 | |
16 | Jim Kaat * | 237 |
17 | Frank Tanana | 236 |
18 | Gus Weyhing | 232 |
19 | Tommy John | 231 |
20 | Bob Friend | 230 |
Ted Lyons * | 230 | |
22 | Greg Maddux * | 227 |
23 | Ferguson Jenkins * | 226 |
24 | Tim Keefe * | 225 |
Red Ruffing * | 225 | |
26 | Bobo Newsom | 222 |
27 | Tony Mullane | 220 |
28 | Jack Quinn | 218 |
29 | Sad Sam Jones | 217 |
30 | Charlie Hough | 216 |
31 | Jim McCormick | 214 |
32 | Red Faber * | 213 |
33 | Paul Derringer | 212 |
Chick Fraser | 212 | |
Burleigh Grimes * | 212 | |
36 | Mickey Welch * | 210 |
37 | Jerry Koosman | 209 |
Jamie Moyer | 209 | |
39 | Grover Cleveland Alexander * | 208 |
Kid Nichols * | 208 | |
41 | Tom Seaver * | 205 |
Vic Willis * | 205 | |
43 | Joe Niekro | 204 |
Jim Whitney | 204 | |
45 | Tom Glavine * | 203 |
46 | George Mullin * | 196 |
Adonis Terry | 196 | |
48 | Claude Osteen | 195 |
49 | Eddie Plank * | 194 |
Charles Radbourn * | 194 |
Rank | Player | L |
---|---|---|
51 | Dennis Martínez | 193 |
52 | Mickey Lolich | 191 |
Rick Reuschel | 191 | |
Jerry Reuss | 191 | |
Tom Zachary | 191 | |
56 | Al Orth | 189 |
57 | Bartolo Colón | 188 |
Christy Mathewson * | 188 | |
59 | Mel Harder | 186 |
Mike Morgan | 186 | |
Jack Morris * | 186 | |
62 | Earl Whitehill | 185 |
63 | Jim Bunning * | 184 |
Bullet Joe Bush | 184 | |
Roger Clemens | 184 | |
66 | Larry Jackson | 183 |
Curt Simmons | 183 | |
68 | Danny Darwin | 182 |
Hooks Dauss | 182 | |
Waite Hoyt * | 182 | |
71 | Murry Dickson | 181 |
Dutch Leonard | 181 | |
Rick Wise | 181 | |
74 | Lee Meadows | 180 |
Tim Wakefield | 180 | |
76 | Pink Hawley | 179 |
Dolf Luque | 179 | |
78 | John Clarkson * | 178 |
Wilbur Cooper | 178 | |
80 | Bill Dinneen | 177 |
Liván Hernández | 177 | |
Rube Marquard * | 177 | |
83 | Mike Moore | 176 |
84 | Red Donahue | 175 |
85 | Doyle Alexander | 174 |
Bob Gibson * | 174 | |
Tom Hughes | 174 | |
Jim Perry | 174 | |
Amos Rusie * | 174 | |
90 | Chuck Finley | 173 |
91 | Luis Tiant | 172 |
92 | Dennis Eckersley * | 171 |
Larry French | 171 | |
94 | Ted Breitenstein | 170 |
Camilo Pascual | 170 | |
96 | Billy Pierce | 169 |
97 | Red Ames | 167 |
Jim Clancy | 167 | |
Bert Cunningham | 167 | |
Red Ehret | 167 |
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