# List of Major League Baseball career games started leaders

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 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 (773), Don Sutton (756), Greg Maddux (740), Phil Niekro (716), Steve Carlton (709), Roger Clemens (707), and Tommy John (700) are the only other pitchers to have started 700 or more games their career.

## Key

| 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. |

## List

* Stats updated as of the end of the 2024 season.
| 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 | Mickey Welch* | 549 |
| 33 | Jerry Reuss | 547 |
| 34 | Zack Greinke (0) | 541 |
| 35 | Red Ruffing* | 538 |
| 36 | Mike Mussina* | 536 |
| 37 | Eddie Plank* | 529 |
| | Rick Reuschel | 529 |
| 39 | Jerry Koosman | 527 |
| | Jack Morris* | 527 |
| 41 | Justin Verlander (0) | 526 |
| 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 | Chuck Finley | 467 |
| 75 | Orel Hershiser | 466 |
| 76 | Don Drysdale* | 465 |
| | Milt Pappas | 465 |
| 78 | Doyle Alexander | 464 |
| 79 | Tim Wakefield | 463 |
| 80 | Bob Welch | 462 |
| 81 | Curt Simmons | 462 |
| 82 | Mike Torrez | 458 |
| 83 | Lefty Grove* | 457 |
| | Juan Marichal* | 457 |
| | Max Scherzer (0) | 457 |
| 86 | Rick Wise | 455 |
| 87 | Jon Lester | 451 |
| 88 | Jim Perry | 447 |
| 89 | John Lackey | 446 |
| 90 | Paul Derringer | 445 |
| 91 | Kevin Millwood | 443 |
| | Jack Quinn | 443 |
| | Javier Vázquez | 443 |
| 94 | Charlie Hough | 440 |
| | Mike Moore | 440 |
| 96 | Whitey Ford* | 438 |
| 97 | Curt Schilling | 436 |
| 98 | Mel Harder | 433 |
| | Carl Hubbell* | 433 |
| | Billy Pierce | 433 |