Who Has The Most Hits In A Single MLB Baseball Season?
The most critical, and possibly the most impressive statistic for an MLB batter to succeed in is the hits category. Each hit means a new runner on base and a possibility for players already on base to advance and even score. This list covers some of the most capable batters in Major League Baseball history, the top five record-holders for the most hits in a single MLB season.
Top 5 Players With the Most Hits in a Baseball Season
- Ichiro Suzuki - 262
- George Sisler - 257
- Lefty O’Doul - 254
- Bill Terry - 254
- Al Simmons - 253
1. Ichiro Suzuki
In 2001, right fielder Ichiro Suzuki left Japanese professional baseball to become the first non-pitcher to play Major League Baseball. Three short years later, Suzuki broke one of the most impressive and longest-standing MLB records, the most hits scored in a single season. Ichiro’s 262 hits in a single season are considered beyond impressive, possibly even unbreakable. Suzuki’s record-setting 258th hit was scored on October 1, 2004, against the Texas Rangers. Suzuki surpassed George Sisler’s record with this feat, which had previously stood untested for 84 years. Suzuki spent nearly his entire US career with the Seattle Mariners, but he played briefly with the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins, as well.
2. George Sisler
First baseman George Sisler played professional baseball from 1915 until 1930, mostly for the then-St. Louis Browns. Interestingly, Sisler actually began his career on the mound, but when his talent with the bat was discovered, St. Louis moved him to first base. Sisler’s stunning record of 257 hits in a single season stood securely in first place on the MLB record books for 84 years. Across his career, Sisler earned 2,812 hits and attributed much of his success at the plate to knowing how pitchers think. George Sisler was inducted into the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, only nine years after his retirement.
3. Lefty O’Doul
Places three and four on the record books for most hits in a season are occupied by a tie. Both Lefty O’Doul and Bill Terry pulled off 254 hits in a single season of Major League Baseball.
Lefty O’Doul played 11 years of professional baseball between the years of 1919 and 1933. He moved around the league quite a bit, playing for the Yankees, Giants, Phillies, and more. Besides the feat of 254 hits in a season, O’Doul was a 1933 All-Star, batted a .398, and despite never winning an MVP, he was in the top three of voting twice.
4. Bill Terry
Unlike O’Doul, who played for many teams, Bill Terry spent all 14 of his Major League seasons with the San Francisco Giants. Terry played first base for the Giants and, in 1932, tied O’Doul with 254 hits. After an injury that led him to quit playing, Terry continued as the Giants manager with great success, winning three National League pennants, a World Series, and a total of 823 games after his retirement from the field.
5. Al Simmons
Finally, Al Simmons’ 253 hits in a single season deserve a mention in this article. Simmons holds the fifth-place position for most hits in a single season, which he accomplished in 1925. In 1953, Simmons, who played mostly for the Philadelphia Athletics, was inducted into the Cooperstown Hall of Fame. Among his accolades as a baseball player were three All-Star Team selections, two World Series wins, and two league batting titles.