Best 20th seasons in MLB history
Who had the best 20th season in MLB history?
Hank Aaron holds the best 20th season in home runs: 40 in 1973, and Ty Cobb in 1924 in hits (211).
Home runs
| # | Player | Season | HR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hank Aaron | 1973 | 40 |
| 2 | David Ortiz | 2016 | 38 |
| 3 | Babe Ruth | 1933 | 34 |
| 4 | Gary Sheffield | 2007 | 25 |
| 5 | Harold Baines | 1999 | 25 |
| 6 | Jim Thome | 2010 | 25 |
| 7 | Darrell Evans | 1988 | 22 |
| 8 | Eddie Murray | 1996 | 22 |
| 9 | Dave Winfield | 1993 | 21 |
| 10 | Mel Ott | 1945 | 21 |
Hits
| # | Player | Season | H |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ty Cobb | 1924 | 211 |
| 2 | Pete Rose | 1982 | 172 |
| 3 | David Ortiz | 2016 | 169 |
| 4 | George Brett | 1992 | 169 |
| 5 | Paul Molitor | 1997 | 164 |
| 6 | Tris Speaker | 1926 | 164 |
| 7 | Brooks Robinson | 1974 | 159 |
| 8 | Cap Anson | 1895 | 159 |
| 9 | Derek Jeter | 2014 | 149 |
| 10 | Dave Winfield | 1993 | 148 |
RBI
| # | Player | Season | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Ortiz | 2016 | 127 |
| 2 | Babe Ruth | 1933 | 103 |
| 3 | Harold Baines | 1999 | 103 |
| 4 | Hank Aaron | 1973 | 96 |
| 5 | Paul Molitor | 1997 | 89 |
| 6 | Tris Speaker | 1926 | 86 |
| 7 | Eddie Collins | 1925 | 80 |
| 8 | Eddie Murray | 1996 | 79 |
| 9 | Mel Ott | 1945 | 79 |
| 10 | Ty Cobb | 1924 | 78 |
Stolen bases
| # | Player | Season | SB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rickey Henderson | 1998 | 66 |
| 2 | Joe Morgan | 1982 | 24 |
| 3 | Ty Cobb | 1924 | 23 |
| 4 | Willie Mays | 1971 | 23 |
| 5 | Gary Sheffield | 2007 | 22 |
| 6 | Eddie Collins | 1925 | 19 |
| 7 | Lave Cross | 1906 | 19 |
| 8 | Cap Anson | 1895 | 12 |
| 9 | Honus Wagner | 1916 | 11 |
| 10 | Paul Molitor | 1997 | 11 |
Strikeouts (pitching)
| # | Player | Season | K |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nolan Ryan | 1986 | 194 |
| 2 | Roger Clemens | 2003 | 190 |
| 3 | Steve Carlton | 1984 | 163 |
| 4 | Early Wynn | 1960 | 158 |
| 5 | Justin Verlander | 2025 | 137 |
| 6 | Greg Maddux | 2005 | 136 |
| 7 | Bert Blyleven | 1989 | 131 |
| 8 | Tom Glavine | 2006 | 131 |
| 9 | Phil Niekro | 1983 | 128 |
| 10 | Walter Johnson | 1926 | 125 |
Wins (pitching)
Saves
| # | Player | Season | SV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaTroy Hawkins | 2014 | 23 |
| 2 | Dennis Eckersley | 1994 | 19 |
| 3 | Dutch Leonard | 1953 | 8 |
| 4 | Jack Quinn | 1930 | 6 |
| 5 | Mike Morgan | 2000 | 5 |
| 6 | Red Faber | 1933 | 5 |
| 7 | Rick Honeycutt | 1996 | 4 |
| 8 | Warren Spahn | 1964 | 4 |
| 9 | Hoyt Wilhelm | 1971 | 3 |
| 10 | Tom Gordon | 2008 | 2 |
Regular season only, counting stats only. A season is numbered from the first season on file for that player, so a career that began before the league’s rows start is numbered from where the data does. MLB all-time records