# List of Major League Baseball career games played as a pitcher leaders

Games played (most often abbreviated as G or GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested. In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game, are included on a starting lineup card or are announced as ex ante substitutes, whether or not they play; however, in Major League Baseball, the application of this statistic does not extend to consecutive games played streaks. A starting pitcher, then, may be credited with a game played even if he is not credited with a game started or an inning pitched. The pitcher is the player who pitches the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game, playing the most difficult and specialized position, and as such is regarded as being at the right end of the defensive spectrum. Pitchers play far less than players at other positions, generally appearing in only two or three games per week; only one pitcher in major league history has appeared in 100 games in a single season. There are many different types of pitchers, generally divided between starting pitchers and relief pitchers, which include the middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and closer. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1.
The sharp rise in the importance of relief pitching after 1950, and increased specialization in later decades, has led to a great increase in the number of players with high totals in games as a pitcher. Through the 2024 season, the top 24 players in career games pitched were all relief pitchers whose careers began after 1950, only two of whom were active before 1968; the top three pitchers are all left-handed. Jesse Orosco is the all-time leader in career games played as a pitcher with 1,252. Only sixteen different players have pitched in over 1,000 games during their careers.

## Key

| Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career games played. A blank field indicates a tie. |
| Player (2025 Gs) | Number of games played during the 2025 Major League Baseball season |
| Throws | Denotes right-handed (R) or left-handed (L) pitcher |
| MLB | Total career games played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball |
| * | 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) | Throws | Games as pitcher | Games as pitcher | Games as pitcher | Other leagues, notes |
| Rank | Player (2025 Gs) | Throws | MLB | American League | National League | Other leagues, notes |
| 1 | Jesse Orosco | L | 1,252 | 686 | 566 | |
| 2 | Mike Stanton | L | 1,178 | 560 | 618 | |
| 3 | John Franco | L | 1,119 | 0 | 1,119 | |
| 4 | Mariano Rivera* | R | 1,115 | 1,115 | 0 | |
| 5 | Dennis Eckersley* | R | 1,071 | 869 | 202 | Held major league record, 1998-1999; held American League record, 1995-2008; held record for right-handed pitchers, 1998-2013 |
| 6 | Hoyt Wilhelm* | R | 1,070 | 622 | 448 | Held major league record, 1968-1998 |
| 7 | Dan Plesac | L | 1,064 | 627 | 437 | |
| 8 | Mike Timlin | R | 1,058 | 894 | 164 | Held American League record, 2008-2009 |
| 9 | Kent Tekulve | R | 1,050 | 0 | 1,050 | Held National League record, 1986-2004 |
| 10 | LaTroy Hawkins | R | 1,042 | 525 | 517 | |
| 11 | Trevor Hoffman* | R | 1,035 | 0 | 1,035 | |
| 12 | José Mesa | R | 1,022 | 540 | 482 | |
| | Lee Smith* | R | 1,022 | 251 | 771 | |
| 14 | Roberto Hernández | R | 1,010 | 696 | 314 | |
| 15 | Mike Jackson | R | 1,005 | 650 | 355 | |
| 16 | Goose Gossage* | R | 1,002 | 656 | 346 | |
| 17 | Lindy McDaniel | R | 987 | 343 | 644 | |
| 18 | Todd Jones | R | 982 | 530 | 452 | |
| 19 | David Weathers | R | 964 | 47 | 917 | |
| 20 | Fernando Rodney | R | 951 | 771 | 180 | |
| 21 | Francisco Rodriguez | R | 948 | 520 | 428 | |
| 22 | Rollie Fingers* | R | 944 | 679 | 265 | |
| 23 | Gene Garber | R | 931 | 104 | 827 | |
| 24 | Eddie Guardado | L | 908 | 878 | 30 | |
| 25 | Cy Young* | R | 906 | 390 | 516 | Held major league record, 1905-1968; held American League record, 1902-1911 |
| 26 | Arthur Rhodes | L | 900 | 666 | 234 | |
| 27 | Sparky Lyle | L | 899 | 807 | 92 | Held American League record, 1982-1995; held record for left-handed pitchers, 1980-1997; held AL record for left-handed pitchers, 1977-2008 |
| 28 | Jim Kaat* | L | 898 | 620 | 278 | |
| 29 | Kyle Farnsworth | R | 893 | 473 | 420 | |
| 30 | Tom Gordon | R | 890 | 669 | 221 | |
| 31 | Paul Assenmacher | L | 884 | 379 | 505 | |
| 32 | Mike Myers | L | 883 | 456 | 427 | Held the single-season record for left-handed pitchers, 1997-2001 (tie) |
| 33 | Alan Embree | L | 882 | 463 | 419 | |
| 34 | Jeff Reardon | R | 880 | 352 | 528 | |
| 35 | Don McMahon | R | 874 | 331 | 543 | |
| 36 | Kenley Jansen (0) | R | 871 | 105 | 766 | |
| 37 | Joe Smith | R | 866 | 714 | 152 | |
| 38 | Phil Niekro* | R | 864 | 124 | 740 | |
| 39 | David Robertson (0) | R | 861 | 731 | 130 | |
| 40 | Charlie Hough | R | 858 | 402 | 456 | |
| 41 | Billy Wagner* | L | 853 | 15 | 838 | |
| 42 | Roy Face | R | 848 | 2 | 846 | Held National League record, 1967-1986; held NL record for right-handed pitchers, 1966-1986 |
| 43 | Doug Jones | R | 846 | 574 | 272 | |
| 44 | Chad Qualls | R | 844 | 153 | 691 | |
| | Paul Quantrill | R | 841 | 587 | 254 | |
| 46 | Javier López | L | 839 | 172 | 667 | |
| 47 | Craig Kimbrel (0) | R | 837 | 269 | 568 | |
| 48 | Bob Wickman | R | 835 | 564 | 271 | |
| 49 | Steve Reed | R | 833 | 201 | 632 | |
| 50 | Julián Tavárez | R | 828 | 218 | 610 | |
| 51 | Tug McGraw | L | 824 | 0 | 824 | Held the National League record for left-handed pitchers, 1982-1998 |
| 52 | Sergio Romo | R | 821 | 238 | 583 | |
| 53 | Tyler Clippard | R | 807 | 291 | 516 | |
| | Nolan Ryan* | R | 807 | 420 | 387 | |
| 55 | Walter Johnson* | R | 802 | 802 | 0 | Held American League record, 1921-1982; held AL record for right-handed pitchers, 1917-1995 |
| 56 | Francisco Cordero | R | 800 | 417 | 383 | |
| 57 | Jeff Nelson | R | 798 | 798 | 0 | |
| 58 | Rick Honeycutt | L | 797 | 606 | 191 | |
| 59 | Aroldis Chapman (0) | L | 796 | 378 | 418 | |
| | Steve Kline | L | 796 | 87 | 709 | Held the single-season record for left-handed pitchers, 2001-2010 |
| | Bryan Shaw (0) | R | 796 | 567 | 229 | |
| 62 | Joe Nathan | R | 787 | 656 | 131 | |
| 63 | Buddy Groom | L | 786 | 749 | 37 | |
| 64 | Gaylord Perry* | R | 777 | 318 | 459 | |
| 65 | Jeremy Affeldt | L | 774 | 184 | 590 | |
| | Don Sutton* | R | 774 | 174 | 600 | |
| 67 | Joakim Soria | R | 773 | 687 | 86 | |
| 68 | Bob Howry | R | 769 | 434 | 335 | |
| 69 | Darren Oliver | L | 766 | 621 | 145 | |
| 70 | Mark Guthrie | L | 765 | 397 | 368 | |
| | Darold Knowles | L | 765 | 470 | 295 | Held record for left-handed pitchers, 1979-1980 |
| 72 | Joaquín Benoit | R | 764 | 592 | 172 | |
| 73 | Armando Benítez | R | 762 | 239 | 523 | |
| | Kenny Rogers | L | 762 | 750 | 12 | |
| 75 | Tommy John | L | 760 | 578 | 182 | |
| 76 | Octavio Dotel | R | 758 | 331 | 427 | |
| 77 | Jack Quinn | R | 756 | 563 | 103 | Includes 90 in Federal League |
| 78 | Ron Reed | R | 751 | 51 | 700 | |
| 79 | Warren Spahn* | L | 750 | 0 | 750 | Held National League record, 1964-1967; held record for left-handed pitchers, 1964-1979; held NL record for left-handed pitchers, 1964-1982 |
| 80 | Matt Thornton | L | 748 | 652 | 96 | |
| 81 | Tom Burgmeier | L | 745 | 745 | 0 | |
| | Gary Lavelle | L | 745 | 98 | 647 | |
| 83 | Willie Hernández | L | 744 | 358 | 386 | |
| | Greg Maddux* | R | 744 | 0 | 744 | |
| 85 | Guillermo Mota | R | 743 | 34 | 709 | |
| 86 | Steve Carlton* | L | 741 | 46 | 695 | |
| 87 | Ryan Madson | R | 740 | 171 | 569 | |
| | Russ Springer | R | 740 | 139 | 601 | |
| 89 | Brad Ziegler | R | 739 | 256 | 483 | |
| 90 | Steve Cishek | R | 737 | 207 | 530 | |
| | Ron Perranoski | L | 737 | 280 | 457 | Held the single-season record for left-handed pitchers, 1962-1965 |
| 92 | Ron Kline | R | 736 | 402 | 334 | |
| 93 | Rick Aguilera | R | 732 | 520 | 212 | |
| | Steve Bedrosian | R | 732 | 56 | 676 | |
| | Mark Melancon | R | 732 | 56 | 676 | |
| 96 | Clay Carroll | R | 731 | 37 | 694 | |
| 97 | Randy Myers | L | 728 | 164 | 564 | |
| 98 | Jason Isringhausen | R | 724 | 210 | 514 | |
| | Mike Marshall | R | 724 | 231 | 493 | Holds the single-season record of 106 (set in 1974); holds the American League single-season record of 90 (set in 1979) |
| | Adam Ottavino (0) | R | 724 | 166 | 558 | |

## Other Hall of Famers

| Player | Throws | Games as pitcher | Games as pitcher | Games as pitcher | Other leagues, notes |
| Player | Throws | MLB | American League | National League | Other leagues, notes |
| John Smoltz* | R | 723 | 8 | 715 | |
| Pud Galvin* | R | 705 | 0 | 610 | Includes 61 in American Association, 26 in Players' League, 8 in National Association; held major league record, 1888-1905; held the single-season record, 1883-1964 |
| Grover Cleveland Alexander* | R | 696 | 0 | 696 | Held National League record, 1928-1964 |
| Bert Blyleven* | R | 692 | 587 | 105 | |
| Eppa Rixey* | L | 692 | 0 | 692 | Held the National League record for left-handed pitchers, 1928-1964 |
| Early Wynn* | R | 691 | 691 | 0 | |
| Tom Glavine* | L | 682 | 0 | 682 | |
| Robin Roberts* | R | 676 | 113 | 563 | |
| Waite Hoyt* | R | 674 | 458 | 216 | |
| Red Faber* | R | 669 | 669 | 0 | |
| Ferguson Jenkins* | R | 664 | 255 | 409 | |
| Bruce Sutter* | R | 661 | 0 | 661 | |
| Tom Seaver* | R | 656 | 97 | 559 | |
| Christy Mathewson* | R | 636 | 0 | 636 | Held National League record, 1915-1928 |
| Red Ruffing* | R | 624 | 624 | 0 | |
| Eddie Plank* | L | 623 | 581 | 0 | Includes 42 in Federal League; held American League record, 1911-1921; held AL record for left-handed pitchers, 1902-1906, 1907-1933 |
| Kid Nichols* | R | 621 | 0 | 621 | Held National League record, 1905-1915 |
| Randy Johnson* | L | 618 | 341 | 277 | |
| Herb Pennock* | L | 617 | 617 | 0 | Held the American League record for left-handed pitchers, 1933-1977 |
| Burleigh Grimes* | R | 616 | 10 | 606 | |
| Lefty Grove* | L | 616 | 616 | 0 | |
| Tim Keefe* | R | 600 | 0 | 444 | Includes 126 in American Association, 30 in Players' League |
| Ted Lyons* | R | 594 | 594 | 0 | |
| Jim Bunning* | R | 591 | 304 | 287 | |
| Bob Feller* | R | 570 | 570 | 0 | |
| Mickey Welch* | R | 565 | 0 | 565 | |
| CC Sabathia* | L | 561 | 544 | 17 | |
| Jim Palmer* | R | 558 | 558 | 0 | |
| Jesse Haines* | R | 555 | 0 | 555 | |
| Jack Morris* | R | 549 | 549 | 0 | |
| Mike Mussina* | R | 537 | 537 | 0 | |
| Rube Marquard* | L | 536 | 0 | 536 | Held the National League record for left-handed pitchers, 1920-1928 |
| Carl Hubbell* | L | 535 | 0 | 535 | |
| John Clarkson* | R | 531 | 0 | 531 | |
| Bob Gibson* | R | 528 | 0 | 528 | |
| Charles Radbourn* | R | 527 | 0 | 486 | Includes 41 in Players' League; held the single-season record, 1883-1964 |
| Don Drysdale* | R | 518 | 0 | 518 | |
| Vic Willis* | R | 513 | 0 | 513 | |
| Catfish Hunter* | R | 500 | 500 | 0 | |
| Whitey Ford* | L | 498 | 498 | 0 | |
| Hal Newhouser* | L | 488 | 488 | 0 | |
| Mordecai Brown* | R | 481 | 0 | 411 | Includes 70 in Federal League |
| Pedro Martínez* | R | 476 | 203 | 273 | |
| Juan Marichal* | R | 471 | 11 | 460 | |
| Joe McGinnity* | R | 465 | 73 | 392 | Held American League record, 1901-1902 |
| Amos Rusie* | R | 463 | 0 | 463 | |
| Bob Lemon* | R | 460 | 460 | 0 | |
| Chief Bender* | R | 459 | 386 | 47 | Includes 26 in Federal League |
| Clark Griffith* | R | 453 | 153 | 266 | Includes 34 in American Association |
| Stan Coveleski* | R | 450 | 450 | 0 | |
| Dazzy Vance* | R | 442 | 10 | 432 | |
| Ed Walsh* | R | 430 | 426 | 4 | |
| Roy Halladay* | R | 416 | 313 | 103 | |
| Rube Waddell* | L | 407 | 335 | 72 | |
| Satchel Paige* | R | 398 | 179 | 0 | Includes 91 in Negro National League (first), 85 in Negro American League, 43 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
| Sandy Koufax* | L | 397 | 0 | 397 | |
| Jack Chesbro* | R | 392 | 270 | 122 | |
| Lefty Gomez* | L | 368 | 368 | 0 | |
| Albert Spalding* | R | 347 | 0 | 65 | Includes 282 in National Association; held major league record, 1872-1879; held the single-season record, 1873-1876 |
| Dizzy Dean* | R | 317 | 1 | 316 | |
| John Montgomery Ward* | R | 293 | 0 | 293 | |
| Andy Cooper* | L | 288 | 0 | 0 | Includes 272 in Negro National League (first), 16 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
| Addie Joss* | R | 286 | 286 | 0 | |
| Candy Cummings* | R | 242 | 0 | 43 | Includes 199 in National Association; held the single-season record, 1872-1873 |
| Bill Foster* | L | 238 | 0 | 0 | Includes 162 in Negro National League (first), 43 in Negro National League (second), 17 in Negro Southern League, 16 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
| Bullet Rogan* | R | 214 | 0 | 0 | Includes 211 in Negro National League (first), 3 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
| Ray Brown* | R | 213 | 0 | 0 | Includes 181 in Negro National League (second), 16 in Negro National League (first), 16 in East–West League (incomplete) |
| Hank O'Day* | R | 201 | 0 | 105 | Includes 53 in American Association, 43 in Players' League |
| Babe Ruth* | L | 163 | 163 | 0 | |
| Hilton Smith* | R | 158 | 0 | 0 | Includes 157 in Negro American League, 1 in Negro Southern League (incomplete) |
| Leon Day* | R | 91 | 0 | 0 | Includes 91 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
| José Méndez* | R | 69 | 0 | 0 | Includes 69 in Negro National League (first) (incomplete) |
| Martín Dihigo* | R | 60 | 0 | 0 | Includes 31 in Eastern Colored League, 21 in Negro National League (second), 8 in American Negro League (incomplete) |
| Smokey Joe Williams* | R | 53 | 0 | 0 | Includes 23 in Eastern Colored League, 18 in American Negro League, 12 in East–West League (incomplete) |
| Tommy Lasorda* | L | 26 | 18 | 8 | |