20:
318:(MLB) pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start, barring injury or ejection. Pitchers were expected to complete games they started. Over the course of the 20th century, complete games became less common, to the point where a modern pitcher may pitch an entire season without throwing a complete game. (In the 2023 MLB season, 0.7% of starts were complete games.) To put this in perspective, as recently as the 1980s, 10–15 complete games a year by a star pitcher was not unheard of, and in 1980,
65:
The frequency of complete games has evolved since the early days of baseball. The complete game was essentially an expectation in the early 20th century and pitchers completed almost all of the games they started. In modern baseball, the feat is much more rare and no pitcher has reached 30 complete
345:
as a basis for removing a pitcher, even though he may appear to be pitching well, and new pitching philosophies in general. Many have come to believe that the risk of arm injuries becomes far more prevalent after a pitcher has thrown 100 to 120 pitches in a single game. Though Hall-of-Famer
350:
once threw well over 200 pitches in a single game (a 1974 contest in which he pitched 13 innings), it is now rare for a manager to allow a pitcher to throw more than 120 pitches in a start. Former pitcher
561:
of baseball, which began during the 1920 season and was fully established in 1921. Among pitchers whose entire careers were in the live-ball era, the all-time leader in complete games is
1267:
430:
355:
noted the increase in ex-pitchers on coaching staffs since the 1950s, whom he considered better evaluators of a pitchers' ability to pitch late into games. Given this,
363:'s total of 749 complete games as the career baseball record that will never be broken. Further supporting the belief is that only three pitchers (Young, Ryan, and
1028:
897:
share the record for the longest complete game, achieved when they pitched against each other in a 26-inning marathon that ended in a 1–1 tie on May 1, 1920.
1182:
1226:
50:. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitchers who throw an entire
1041:
925:
1294:
557:
All pitchers above are right-handed, except for Eddie Plank. All also played most or all of their careers before the start of the modern
884:
871:
All pitchers were right-handed except Matt Kilroy and Toad Ramsey. The record for complete games in a live-ball season is 36, set by
1544:
1244:
1108:
939:
66:
games in a season since 1975; in the 21st century, a pitcher has thrown 10 or more complete games in a season only twice.
1549:
1705:
1539:
58:
after throwing nine or more innings will not be credited with a complete game. A starting pitcher who is replaced by a
1287:
295:
277:
259:
241:
223:
205:
187:
169:
151:
133:
115:
97:
994:
1660:
520:
54:
that is shortened by rain will still be credited with a complete game, while starting pitchers who are relieved in
1487:
1477:
1806:
1760:
1690:
1186:
1801:
1280:
334:
threw 28 consecutive complete games, spanning the 1952 and 1953 seasons. In 1962, a news article detailed
1319:
684:
508:
931:
779:
370:
327:
1077:
1574:
1529:
1421:
745:
496:
1770:
1750:
1715:
1627:
1454:
1100:
1090:
1018:
841:
1171:
1775:
1411:
1371:
1146:
1124:
921:
573:
Through March 28, 2024, the top 9 active players who lead MLB in career complete games were:
550:
394:
331:
315:
1755:
1675:
1564:
998:
1206:
8:
1745:
1665:
1622:
1597:
1469:
1329:
1303:
1222:
402:
398:
1589:
1579:
1514:
1324:
1311:
1232:
389:
in 2008. The last pitcher to throw as many as 15 complete games in a single season was
1735:
1685:
1602:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1240:
1104:
935:
514:
410:
386:
382:
319:
1670:
1612:
1386:
809:
720:
593:
478:
418:
1497:
1492:
1482:
1459:
1426:
1396:
645:
606:
62:
in the final half inning of a game will still be credited with a complete game.
19:
1700:
1650:
1502:
1444:
1401:
1359:
1334:
658:
454:
414:
390:
374:
356:
47:
1795:
1730:
1680:
1617:
1554:
1524:
1416:
1406:
1391:
1381:
1228:
Baseball
Between the Numbers: Why Everything You Know About the Game Is Wrong
1096:
900:
757:
558:
484:
466:
406:
377:, becoming the first pitcher to reach double digits in a single season since
323:
55:
51:
397:
in 1998. The last pitcher to throw 20 complete games in a single season was
1725:
1720:
1642:
1436:
1366:
894:
859:
850:
671:
619:
562:
490:
472:
352:
59:
1740:
1632:
1449:
1376:
1236:
890:
818:
795:
697:
526:
502:
460:
378:
342:
335:
903:
allowed 26 hits and 24 runs in a 1912 complete game, both still records.
1780:
1695:
1569:
1507:
872:
786:
736:
727:
714:
632:
544:
538:
532:
442:
364:
347:
16:
Pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher
1272:
1655:
1534:
1519:
771:
448:
413:
in 1980. The last pitcher to throw 30 complete games in a season was
405:
in 1986. The last pitcher to throw 25 complete games in a season was
1710:
1354:
436:
360:
31:
23:
887:
completed 187 consecutive games he started between 1901 and 1906.
43:
1607:
1268:
List of Major League
Baseball records considered unbreakable
1765:
431:
List of Major League
Baseball career complete games leaders
338:'s concern when he failed to complete six starts in a row.
341:
This change has been brought about by strict adherence to
314:
In the early 20th century, it was common for most good
978:
976:
974:
972:
970:
968:
966:
964:
962:
960:
958:
326:
threw 22 consecutive complete games. Years earlier,
373:threw 11 complete games in the 2011 season for the
955:
367:) even made at least 749 starts in their careers.
46:pitching an entire game without the benefit of a
1793:
1183:"SABR's Baseball Biography Project: Jack Taylor"
1125:"Career Leaders & Records for Games Started"
1092:Fireman: The Evolution of the Closer in Baseball
565:, whose total of 382 places him 21st all-time.
1288:
995:"2013 Major League Baseball Pitching Splits"
1295:
1281:
1207:Complete Games Records by Baseball Almanac
1078:June 14, 1974 Boxscore, Red Sox vs. Angels
1147:"Active Career Leaders in Complete Games"
708:
568:
18:
1302:
1039:
920:
26:, the all-time MLB complete-game leader
1794:
1276:
831:(tie) Bill Hutchison – 65 (1890)
393:, who accomplished that feat for the
765:(tie) John Clarkson – 68 (1889)
1223:Baseball Prospectus Team of Experts
1221:
1066:
1029:Rick Langford Game Logs 1980 Season
982:
927:The new Dickson baseball dictionary
867:(tie) Will White – 64 - (1883)
836:(tie) Jim McCormick –65 (1882)
75:Historical MLB complete game trend
69:
13:
1706:Jaffe Wins Above Replacement Score
14:
1818:
1040:Richman, Milton (June 22, 1962).
826:(tie) Pud Galvin – 65 (1879)
803:(tie) Matt Kilroy –66 (1887)
424:
1661:Batting average on balls in play
878:
381:threw 10 complete games for the
1200:
1175:
1165:
1139:
1117:
1082:
1071:
1067:Baseball Prospectus 2007, p.79
1060:
1033:
1022:
1012:
987:
983:Baseball Prospectus 2007, p.75
914:
1:
1761:Value over replacement player
1691:Fielding independent pitching
1215:
1088:
7:
1261:
1042:"Belinsky Finally Wins 7th"
753:Pud Galvin – 71 (1884)
73:
10:
1823:
509:Grover Cleveland Alexander
428:
1641:
1588:
1468:
1435:
1310:
932:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
1766:Weighted on-base average
907:
866:
857:
848:
840:
835:
830:
825:
816:
807:
802:
793:
778:
1575:Strikeout-to-walk ratio
1422:Walk-to-strikeout ratio
1089:Zimniuch, Fran (2010).
769:
764:
752:
743:
734:
1771:Wins Above Replacement
1751:Out of zone plays made
1628:Defensive indifference
1455:Stolen base percentage
1153:. Sports Reference LLC
27:
1776:Win probability added
1412:On-base plus slugging
709:Single-season leaders
569:Active career leaders
429:Further information:
417:, who did so for the
409:, who had 28 for the
401:, who did so for the
395:Philadelphia Phillies
332:Philadelphia Phillies
316:Major League Baseball
22:
1807:Baseball terminology
1756:Ultimate zone rating
1676:Defensive Runs Saved
1127:. Baseball-Reference
999:Sports Reference LLC
89:Complete game %
1802:Pitching statistics
1666:Batting park factor
1598:Fielding percentage
1330:Slugging percentage
1304:Baseball statistics
403:Los Angeles Dodgers
399:Fernando Valenzuela
76:
1716:Power–speed number
1488:Pitchers of record
1325:On-base percentage
1233:New York, New York
1151:Baseball Reference
74:
42:) is the act of a
28:
1789:
1788:
1736:Secondary average
1686:Extrapolated Runs
1246:978-0-465-00547-5
1110:978-1-60078-312-8
1046:The Gadsden Times
941:978-0-15-600580-7
862: – 64 (1880)
853: – 64 (1884)
844: – 64 (1888)
821: – 66 (1886)
812: – 66 (1883)
798: – 66 (1886)
789: – 66 (1876)
782: – 67 (1892)
774: – 68 (1883)
748: – 72 (1880)
739: – 72 (1884)
730: – 72 (1883)
723: – 73 (1884)
717: – 75 (1879)
706:
705:
515:Christy Mathewson
411:Oakland Athletics
387:Milwaukee Brewers
383:Cleveland Indians
359:generally regard
320:Oakland Athletics
312:
311:
1814:
1623:Fielder's choice
1387:Game-winning RBI
1297:
1290:
1283:
1274:
1273:
1257:
1255:
1253:
1209:
1204:
1198:
1197:
1195:
1194:
1185:. Archived from
1179:
1173:
1169:
1163:
1162:
1160:
1158:
1143:
1137:
1136:
1134:
1132:
1121:
1115:
1114:
1086:
1080:
1075:
1069:
1064:
1058:
1057:
1055:
1053:
1037:
1031:
1026:
1020:
1016:
1010:
1009:
1007:
1005:
991:
985:
980:
953:
952:
950:
948:
918:
810:Charley Radbourn
760: –68 (1885)
721:Charley Radbourn
594:Justin Verlander
576:
575:
479:Charley Radbourn
419:New York Yankees
77:
70:Historical trend
1822:
1821:
1817:
1816:
1815:
1813:
1812:
1811:
1792:
1791:
1790:
1785:
1637:
1584:
1483:Innings pitched
1478:Win–loss record
1464:
1460:Caught stealing
1431:
1427:Walk percentage
1320:Batting average
1306:
1301:
1264:
1251:
1249:
1247:
1218:
1213:
1212:
1205:
1201:
1192:
1190:
1181:
1180:
1176:
1170:
1166:
1156:
1154:
1145:
1144:
1140:
1130:
1128:
1123:
1122:
1118:
1111:
1087:
1083:
1076:
1072:
1065:
1061:
1051:
1049:
1038:
1034:
1027:
1023:
1017:
1013:
1003:
1001:
993:
992:
988:
981:
956:
946:
944:
942:
934:. p. 130.
919:
915:
910:
881:
711:
685:Carlos Carrasco
646:Sandy Alcantara
607:Clayton Kershaw
585:Complete games
571:
433:
427:
357:sabermetricians
72:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1820:
1810:
1809:
1804:
1787:
1786:
1784:
1783:
1778:
1773:
1768:
1763:
1758:
1753:
1748:
1743:
1738:
1733:
1728:
1723:
1718:
1713:
1708:
1703:
1701:Isolated Power
1698:
1693:
1688:
1683:
1678:
1673:
1668:
1663:
1658:
1653:
1647:
1645:
1639:
1638:
1636:
1635:
1630:
1625:
1620:
1615:
1610:
1605:
1600:
1594:
1592:
1586:
1585:
1583:
1582:
1577:
1572:
1567:
1562:
1557:
1552:
1547:
1542:
1537:
1532:
1527:
1522:
1517:
1512:
1511:
1510:
1500:
1495:
1490:
1485:
1480:
1474:
1472:
1466:
1465:
1463:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1441:
1439:
1433:
1432:
1430:
1429:
1424:
1419:
1414:
1409:
1404:
1402:Sacrifice bunt
1399:
1394:
1389:
1384:
1379:
1374:
1369:
1364:
1363:
1362:
1360:Extra-base hit
1357:
1352:
1347:
1342:
1332:
1327:
1322:
1316:
1314:
1308:
1307:
1300:
1299:
1292:
1285:
1277:
1271:
1270:
1263:
1260:
1259:
1258:
1245:
1217:
1214:
1211:
1210:
1199:
1174:
1164:
1138:
1116:
1109:
1081:
1070:
1059:
1032:
1021:
1011:
986:
954:
940:
912:
911:
909:
906:
905:
904:
898:
888:
880:
877:
869:
868:
865:
863:
856:
854:
847:
845:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
815:
813:
806:
804:
801:
799:
792:
790:
783:
780:Bill Hutchison
777:
775:
768:
766:
763:
761:
754:
751:
749:
742:
740:
733:
731:
724:
718:
710:
707:
704:
703:
700:
695:
691:
690:
687:
682:
678:
677:
674:
669:
665:
664:
661:
659:Dallas Keuchel
656:
652:
651:
648:
643:
639:
638:
635:
630:
626:
625:
622:
617:
613:
612:
609:
604:
600:
599:
596:
591:
587:
586:
583:
580:
570:
567:
555:
554:
548:
542:
536:
530:
524:
518:
512:
506:
500:
494:
488:
482:
476:
470:
464:
458:
455:Walter Johnson
452:
446:
440:
426:
425:Career leaders
423:
415:Catfish Hunter
391:Curt Schilling
375:Tampa Bay Rays
310:
309:
307:
304:
301:
298:
292:
291:
289:
286:
283:
280:
274:
273:
271:
268:
265:
262:
256:
255:
253:
250:
247:
244:
238:
237:
235:
232:
229:
226:
220:
219:
217:
214:
211:
208:
202:
201:
199:
196:
193:
190:
184:
183:
181:
178:
175:
172:
166:
165:
163:
160:
157:
154:
148:
147:
145:
142:
139:
136:
130:
129:
127:
124:
121:
118:
112:
111:
109:
106:
103:
100:
94:
93:
90:
87:
86:Complete games
84:
81:
71:
68:
48:relief pitcher
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1819:
1808:
1805:
1803:
1800:
1799:
1797:
1782:
1779:
1777:
1774:
1772:
1769:
1767:
1764:
1762:
1759:
1757:
1754:
1752:
1749:
1747:
1744:
1742:
1739:
1737:
1734:
1732:
1731:Runs produced
1729:
1727:
1724:
1722:
1719:
1717:
1714:
1712:
1709:
1707:
1704:
1702:
1699:
1697:
1694:
1692:
1689:
1687:
1684:
1682:
1681:Exit velocity
1679:
1677:
1674:
1672:
1671:Catcher's ERA
1669:
1667:
1664:
1662:
1659:
1657:
1654:
1652:
1651:Adjusted ERA+
1649:
1648:
1646:
1644:
1640:
1634:
1631:
1629:
1626:
1624:
1621:
1619:
1618:Total chances
1616:
1614:
1611:
1609:
1606:
1604:
1601:
1599:
1596:
1595:
1593:
1591:
1587:
1581:
1578:
1576:
1573:
1571:
1568:
1566:
1563:
1561:
1560:Complete game
1558:
1556:
1555:Quality start
1553:
1551:
1548:
1546:
1543:
1541:
1538:
1536:
1533:
1531:
1528:
1526:
1523:
1521:
1518:
1516:
1513:
1509:
1506:
1505:
1504:
1501:
1499:
1496:
1494:
1491:
1489:
1486:
1484:
1481:
1479:
1476:
1475:
1473:
1471:
1467:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1448:
1446:
1443:
1442:
1440:
1438:
1434:
1428:
1425:
1423:
1420:
1418:
1417:Times on base
1415:
1413:
1410:
1408:
1407:Sacrifice fly
1405:
1403:
1400:
1398:
1395:
1393:
1390:
1388:
1385:
1383:
1380:
1378:
1375:
1373:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1348:
1346:
1343:
1341:
1338:
1337:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1328:
1326:
1323:
1321:
1318:
1317:
1315:
1313:
1309:
1305:
1298:
1293:
1291:
1286:
1284:
1279:
1278:
1275:
1269:
1266:
1265:
1248:
1242:
1238:
1234:
1230:
1229:
1224:
1220:
1219:
1208:
1203:
1189:on 2009-04-24
1188:
1184:
1178:
1172:
1168:
1152:
1148:
1142:
1126:
1120:
1112:
1106:
1102:
1098:
1097:Triumph Books
1094:
1093:
1085:
1079:
1074:
1068:
1063:
1047:
1043:
1036:
1030:
1025:
1019:
1015:
1000:
996:
990:
984:
979:
977:
975:
973:
971:
969:
967:
965:
963:
961:
959:
943:
937:
933:
929:
928:
923:
922:Dickson, Paul
917:
913:
902:
901:Allan Travers
899:
896:
892:
889:
886:
883:
882:
879:Other records
876:
874:
864:
861:
855:
852:
846:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
820:
814:
811:
805:
800:
797:
791:
788:
784:
781:
776:
773:
767:
762:
759:
758:John Clarkson
755:
750:
747:
746:Jim McCormick
741:
738:
732:
729:
725:
722:
719:
716:
713:
712:
701:
699:
696:
693:
692:
688:
686:
683:
680:
679:
675:
673:
670:
667:
666:
662:
660:
657:
654:
653:
649:
647:
644:
641:
640:
636:
634:
631:
628:
627:
623:
621:
618:
615:
614:
610:
608:
605:
602:
601:
597:
595:
592:
589:
588:
584:
581:
578:
577:
574:
566:
564:
560:
559:live-ball era
552:
549:
546:
543:
540:
537:
534:
531:
528:
525:
522:
519:
516:
513:
510:
507:
504:
501:
498:
497:Jim McCormick
495:
492:
489:
486:
485:John Clarkson
483:
480:
477:
474:
471:
468:
467:Bobby Mathews
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
450:
447:
444:
441:
438:
435:
434:
432:
422:
420:
416:
412:
408:
407:Rick Langford
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
380:
376:
372:
371:James Shields
368:
366:
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358:
354:
349:
344:
339:
337:
333:
329:
328:Robin Roberts
325:
324:Rick Langford
321:
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88:
85:
83:Games started
82:
79:
78:
67:
63:
61:
57:
56:extra innings
53:
52:official game
49:
45:
41:
37:
36:complete game
33:
25:
21:
1726:Runs created
1721:Range factor
1643:Sabermetrics
1559:
1530:Perfect game
1437:Base running
1367:Hits per run
1250:. Retrieved
1227:
1202:
1191:. Retrieved
1187:the original
1177:
1167:
1155:. Retrieved
1150:
1141:
1129:. Retrieved
1119:
1091:
1084:
1073:
1062:
1050:. Retrieved
1045:
1035:
1024:
1014:
1002:. Retrieved
989:
945:. Retrieved
926:
916:
895:Joe Oeschger
870:
860:Mickey Welch
851:Tony Mullane
672:Max Scherzer
620:Johnny Cueto
572:
563:Warren Spahn
556:
491:Tony Mullane
473:Mickey Welch
369:
353:Carl Erskine
343:pitch counts
340:
313:
64:
60:pinch hitter
39:
35:
29:
1741:Speed Score
1633:Passed ball
1450:Stolen base
1377:Total bases
1237:Basic Books
1099:. pp.
1095:. Chicago:
1048:. p. 8
891:Leon Cadore
885:Jack Taylor
842:Silver King
819:Toad Ramsey
796:Matt Kilroy
698:Gerrit Cole
553: – 386
547: – 388
541: – 392
535: – 394
529: – 410
527:Eddie Plank
523: – 422
521:Jack Powell
517: – 434
511: – 437
505: – 448
503:Gus Weyhing
499: – 466
493: – 468
487: – 485
481: – 489
475: – 525
469: – 525
463: – 531
461:Kid Nichols
457: – 531
451: – 554
445: – 646
439: – 749
379:CC Sabathia
336:Bo Belinsky
1796:Categories
1781:Win Shares
1696:Game score
1570:Wild pitch
1372:Grand slam
1216:References
1193:2009-03-09
947:August 27,
873:Bob Feller
787:Jim Devlin
737:Guy Hecker
728:Pud Galvin
715:Will White
633:Chris Sale
551:Tommy Bond
545:Vic Willis
539:Amos Rusie
533:Will White
443:Pud Galvin
365:Don Sutton
348:Nolan Ryan
1656:Base runs
1535:No-hitter
1520:Strikeout
875:in 1946.
772:Tim Keefe
449:Tim Keefe
421:in 1975.
1711:Pop time
1590:Fielding
1470:Pitching
1355:Home run
1262:See also
1252:March 5,
1225:(2007).
1131:July 22,
924:(1999).
437:Cy Young
361:Cy Young
322:pitcher
32:baseball
24:Cy Young
1565:Shutout
1312:Batting
1157:May 30,
1052:May 31,
1004:May 27,
330:of the
44:pitcher
1608:Putout
1603:Assist
1580:Maddux
1508:Earned
1350:Triple
1345:Double
1340:Single
1243:
1107:
938:
858:(tie)
849:(tie)
817:(tie)
808:(tie)
794:(tie)
785:(tie)
770:(tie)
756:(tie)
744:(tie)
735:(tie)
726:(tie)
1613:Error
908:Notes
582:Name
579:Rank
300:4,860
282:4,854
264:3,200
246:4,210
231:1,089
228:3,890
210:3,252
192:2,472
177:1,123
174:2,484
159:1,061
156:2,446
141:1,198
138:2,462
123:2,067
120:3,758
105:2,186
102:2,496
1746:NERD
1545:BB/9
1540:WHIP
1525:Walk
1498:Hold
1493:Save
1397:Bunt
1392:Walk
1254:2011
1241:ISBN
1159:2024
1133:2017
1105:ISBN
1101:73–4
1054:2020
1006:2014
949:2011
936:ISBN
893:and
385:and
296:2014
278:2004
260:1994
252:15.0
242:1984
234:28.0
224:1974
216:24.5
206:1964
198:34.0
188:1954
180:45.2
170:1944
162:43.4
152:1934
144:48.7
134:1924
126:55.0
116:1914
108:87.6
98:1904
92:Ref
80:Year
34:, a
1550:K/9
1515:ERA
1503:Run
1445:Run
1382:RBI
1335:Hit
689:11
676:12
663:12
650:12
637:16
624:18
611:25
598:26
306:2.4
303:118
288:3.1
285:150
270:8.0
267:255
249:632
213:797
195:840
30:In
1798::
1239:.
1235::
1231:.
1149:.
1103:.
1044:.
997:.
957:^
930:.
702:8
694:9
681:8
668:5
655:5
642:5
629:4
616:3
603:2
590:1
40:CG
1296:e
1289:t
1282:v
1256:.
1196:.
1161:.
1135:.
1113:.
1056:.
1008:.
951:.
38:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
