Best MLB Seasons, Careers and Teams of All Time

1876–2026The best seasons, careers and teams since 1876, every era on one scale.

Best seasons ever

Hitting · top 25
#	Season	NUT
1	1920 Babe RuthNYY · .376 · 54 HR · 137 RBI · Live-ball era	+12.5
2	1921 Babe RuthNYY · .378 · 59 HR · 171 RBI · Live-ball era	+12.3
3	1923 Babe RuthNYY · .393 · 41 HR · 131 RBI · Live-ball era	+11.8
4	1941 Ted WilliamsBOS · .406 · 37 HR · 120 RBI · Live-ball era	+11.1
5	1924 Babe RuthNYY · .378 · 46 HR · 121 RBI · Live-ball era	+10.5
6	1942 Ted WilliamsBOS · .356 · 36 HR · 137 RBI · Live-ball era	+10.5
7	1932 Jimmie FoxxPHA · .364 · 58 HR · 169 RBI · Live-ball era	+10.4
8	1946 Ted WilliamsBOS · .342 · 38 HR · 123 RBI · Live-ball era	+10.3
9	1927 Babe RuthNYY · .356 · 60 HR · 164 RBI · Live-ball era	+10.1
10	2001 Barry BondsSF · .328 · 73 HR · 137 RBI · High-offense era	+10.0
11	1927 Lou GehrigNYY · .373 · 47 HR · 175 RBI · Live-ball era	+9.9
12	1926 Babe RuthNYY · .372 · 47 HR · 146 RBI · Live-ball era	+9.8
13	1931 Babe RuthNYY · .373 · 46 HR · 163 RBI · Live-ball era	+9.5
14	1949 Ted WilliamsBOS · .343 · 43 HR · 159 RBI · Integration era	+9.5
15	1933 Jimmie FoxxPHA · .356 · 48 HR · 163 RBI · Live-ball era	+9.3
16	1947 Ted WilliamsBOS · .343 · 32 HR · 114 RBI · Integration era	+9.2
17	1948 Stan MusialSTL · .376 · 39 HR · 131 RBI · Integration era	+9.2
18	1934 Lou GehrigNYY · .363 · 49 HR · 165 RBI · Live-ball era	+9.1
19	1924 Rogers HornsbySTL · .424 · 25 HR · 94 RBI · Live-ball era	+9.0
20	2024 Aaron JudgeNYY · .322 · 58 HR · 144 RBI · Modern era	+8.9
21	1956 Mickey MantleNYY · .353 · 52 HR · 130 RBI · Integration era	+8.8
22	1922 Rogers HornsbySTL · .401 · 42 HR · 152 RBI · Live-ball era	+8.8
23	1936 Lou GehrigNYY · .354 · 49 HR · 152 RBI · Live-ball era	+8.8
24	1938 Jimmie FoxxBOS · .349 · 50 HR · 175 RBI · Live-ball era	+8.7
25	1928 Babe RuthNYY · .323 · 54 HR · 142 RBI · Live-ball era	+8.6

Pitching · top 25
#	Season	NUT
1	1999 Pedro MartínezBOS · 213.1 IP · 2.07 ERA · 313 K · High-offense era	+7.3
2	1965 Sandy KoufaxLAD · 335.2 IP · 2.04 ERA · 382 K · Expansion era	+6.5
3	1910 Walter JohnsonWSH · 370.0 IP · 1.36 ERA · 313 K · Dead-ball era	+6.5
4	1963 Sandy KoufaxLAD · 311.0 IP · 1.88 ERA · 306 K · Expansion era	+6.2
5	2001 Randy JohnsonARI · 249.2 IP · 2.49 ERA · 372 K · High-offense era	+6.2
6	1997 Roger ClemensTOR · 264.0 IP · 2.05 ERA · 292 K · High-offense era	+6.1
7	1998 Kevin BrownSD · 257.0 IP · 2.38 ERA · 257 K · High-offense era	+6.1
8	1908 Ed WalshCWS · 464.0 IP · 1.42 ERA · 269 K · Dead-ball era	+6.1
9	1979 J.R. RichardHOU · 292.1 IP · 2.71 ERA · 313 K · Free agency era	+6.0
10	2000 Pedro MartínezBOS · 217.0 IP · 1.74 ERA · 284 K · High-offense era	+5.8
11	1908 Christy MathewsonNYG · 390.2 IP · 1.43 ERA · 259 K · Dead-ball era	+5.8
12	1966 Sandy KoufaxLAD · 323.0 IP · 1.73 ERA · 317 K · Expansion era	+5.8
13	1986 Mike ScottHOU · 275.1 IP · 2.22 ERA · 306 K · Free agency era	+5.8
14	2004 Randy JohnsonARI · 245.2 IP · 2.60 ERA · 290 K · High-offense era	+5.7
15	2000 Randy JohnsonARI · 248.2 IP · 2.64 ERA · 347 K · High-offense era	+5.7
16	1985 Dwight GoodenNYM · 276.2 IP · 1.53 ERA · 268 K · Free agency era	+5.7
17	1972 Steve CarltonPHI · 346.1 IP · 1.97 ERA · 310 K · Expansion era	+5.6
18	1912 Walter JohnsonWSH · 369.0 IP · 1.39 ERA · 303 K · Dead-ball era	+5.6
19	1971 Tom SeaverNYM · 286.1 IP · 1.76 ERA · 289 K · Expansion era	+5.5
20	1973 Bert BlylevenMIN · 325.0 IP · 2.52 ERA · 258 K · Expansion era	+5.5
21	1999 Randy JohnsonARI · 271.2 IP · 2.48 ERA · 364 K · High-offense era	+5.5
22	1970 Bob GibsonSTL · 294.0 IP · 3.12 ERA · 274 K · Expansion era	+5.5
23	1995 Randy JohnsonSEA · 214.1 IP · 2.48 ERA · 294 K · High-offense era	+5.5
24	1984 Dwight GoodenNYM · 218.0 IP · 2.60 ERA · 276 K · Free agency era	+5.5
25	2002 Curt SchillingARI · 259.1 IP · 3.23 ERA · 316 K · High-offense era	+5.4

Best careers

Hitters · top 25
#	Player	NUT
1	Babe Ruth1915–1934 · NYY · RF · best 1920 +12.5	+137.3
2	Ted Williams1939–1960 · BOS · LF · best 1941 +11.1	+121.4
3	Ty Cobb1905–1928 · DET · CF · best 1917 +8.3	+109.9
4	Stan Musial1942–1963 · STL · 1B · best 1948 +9.2	+101.0
5	Lou Gehrig1925–1938 · NYY · 1B · best 1927 +9.9	+95.5
6	Hank Aaron1954–1976 · MLN · RF · best 1971 +6.6	+91.1
7	Willie Mays1951–1973 · NYG · CF · best 1954 +7.1	+89.1
8	Tristram Speaker1908–1928 · CLE · CF · best 1916 +7.3	+88.0
9	Jimmie Foxx1927–1945 · PHA · 1B · best 1932 +10.4	+87.4
10	Barry Bonds1986–2007 · SF · LF · best 2001 +10.0	+86.4
11	Mickey Mantle1951–1968 · NYY · CF · best 1956 +8.8	+83.7
12	Rogers Hornsby1916–1933 · STL · 2B · best 1924 +9.0	+81.5
13	Frank Robinson1956–1975 · CIN · RF · best 1966 +7.8	+79.5
14	Mel Ott1927–1945 · NYG · RF · best 1932 +6.1	+78.2
15	Honus Wagner1897–1917 · PIT · SS · best 1908 +7.6	+72.3
16	Frank Thomas1990–2008 · CWS · DH · best 1991 +6.6	+65.4
17	Carl Yastrzemski1961–1983 · BOS · LF · best 1967 +8.3	+64.7
18	Alex Rodriguez1995–2016 · NYY · 3B · best 2005 +6.2	+64.7
19	Manny Ramirez1994–2010 · BOS · LF · best 1999 +5.8	+63.2
20	Dan Brouthers1879–1896 · BUF · 1B · best 1886 +6.3	+61.7
21	Joe DiMaggio1936–1951 · NYY · CF · best 1941 +7.4	+59.5
22	Eddie Collins Sr.1908–1927 · CWS · 2B · best 1909 +5.2	+59.2
23	Jim Thome1991–2012 · CLE · 1B · best 2002 +6.1	+57.9
24	Albert Pujols2001–2022 · STL · 1B · best 2003 +7.0	+57.8
25	Harmon Killebrew1956–1975 · WSH · 1B · best 1969 +6.7	+57.3

Pitchers · top 25
#	Player	NUT
1	Roger Clemens1984–2007 · BOS · P · best 1997 +6.1	+62.6
2	Walter Johnson1907–1927 · WSH · P · best 1910 +6.5	+57.4
3	Greg Maddux1986–2008 · ATL · P · best 1997 +5.0	+55.7
4	Cy Young1890–1911 · CLE · P · best 1905 +4.5	+55.2
5	Randy Johnson1988–2009 · SEA · P · best 2001 +6.2	+50.2
6	Nolan Ryan Jr.1968–1993 · HOU · P · best 1973 +4.9	+49.9
7	Pedro Martínez1993–2009 · BOS · P · best 1999 +7.3	+46.7
8	Curt Schilling1990–2007 · PHI · P · best 2002 +5.4	+41.7
9	Clayton Kershaw2008–2025 · LAD · P · best 2015 +5.4	+41.7
10	John Smoltz1988–2009 · ATL · P · best 1996 +5.2	+38.5
11	Christy Mathewson1900–1916 · NYG · P · best 1908 +5.8	+38.0
12	Tom Seaver1967–1986 · NYM · P · best 1971 +5.5	+36.4
13	Gaylord Perry1962–1983 · SF · P · best 1966 +4.0	+36.2
14	Grover Alexander1911–1929 · CHC · P · best 1915 +5.1	+35.4
15	Steve Carlton1965–1987 · PHI · P · best 1972 +5.6	+35.2
16	Bert Blyleven1970–1992 · MIN · P · best 1973 +5.5	+34.3
17	Kevin Brown1989–2005 · TEX · P · best 1998 +6.1	+33.8
18	Lefty Grove1925–1941 · PHA · P · best 1930 +4.5	+32.6
19	Bob Gibson1959–1975 · STL · P · best 1970 +5.5	+32.5
20	Chris Sale2011–2026 · CWS · P · best 2017 +4.5	+32.3
21	Mike Mussina1991–2008 · BAL · P · best 2001 +3.7	+31.8
22	Rube Waddell1899–1910 · PHA · P · best 1904 +5.2	+31.4
23	Justin Verlander2006–2025 · DET · P · best 2009 +4.0	+29.7
24	Don Sutton1966–1988 · LAD · P · best 1971 +4.4	+29.7
25	Ed Walsh1904–1915 · CWS · P · best 1908 +6.1	+29.4

Greatest teams ever

Team NUT · top 25 club seasons
#	Club	W-L	NUT
1	2019 Houston AstrosLost the World Series · #1 of 30	107-55	+32.0
2	1931 New York YankeesNo title · #1 of 16	94-59	+29.9
3	1927 New York YankeesWon the World Series · #1 of 16	110-44	+29.0
4	2021 Los Angeles DodgersNo title · #1 of 30	106-56	+28.0
5	2018 Los Angeles DodgersLost the World Series · #1 of 30	92-71	+28.0
6	1976 Cincinnati RedsWon the World Series · #1 of 24	102-60	+26.2
7	1953 Brooklyn DodgersLost the World Series · #1 of 16	105-49	+26.0
8	2013 Detroit TigersNo title · #1 of 30	93-69	+25.8
9	2002 New York YankeesNo title · #1 of 30	103-58	+25.6
10	2021 San Francisco GiantsNo title · #2 of 30	107-55	+25.3
11	2017 Cleveland IndiansNo title · #1 of 30	102-60	+25.3
12	1932 New York YankeesWon the World Series · #1 of 16	107-47	+25.0
13	2023 Atlanta BravesNo title · #1 of 30	104-58	+24.8
14	2003 Boston Red SoxNo title · #1 of 30	95-67	+24.8
15	2003 New York YankeesLost the World Series · #2 of 30	101-61	+24.7
16	1998 Atlanta BravesNo title · #1 of 30	106-56	+24.7
17	2019 Minnesota TwinsNo title · #2 of 30	101-61	+24.2
18	2019 Los Angeles DodgersNo title · #3 of 30	106-56	+24.0
19	1940 Detroit TigersLost the World Series · #1 of 16	90-64	+23.2
20	1933 New York YankeesNo title · #1 of 16	91-59	+23.1
21	1950 Boston Red SoxNo title · #1 of 16	94-60	+23.0
22	1936 New York YankeesWon the World Series · #1 of 16	102-51	+23.0
23	1998 Houston AstrosNo title · #2 of 30	102-60	+22.9
24	2017 Los Angeles DodgersLost the World Series · #2 of 30	104-58	+22.5
25	2022 Los Angeles DodgersNo title · #1 of 30	111-51	+22.4

4 of the top 25 won the World Series. Every World Series by NUT

By position

Best catchers ever Best first basemen ever Best second basemen ever Best third basemen ever Best shortstops ever Best left fielders ever Best center fielders ever Best right fielders ever Best designated hitters ever Best starting pitchers ever Best relief pitchers ever

How the all-time boards work

Every season since 1876 is measured against its own league's averages, so a +5.0 in 1927 and a +5.0 in 2025 are the same amount of production, and every era sits on one scale. Players need 100 plate appearances or 25 innings for a season to count. Career NUT adds up every qualifying season, the same number as each player page. Team NUT adds up a club's qualified players. Seasons before 1901 were shorter, so their values run lower. Negro Leagues seasons are ranked on their own season pages, against their own leagues.

The #1 by NUT, 1876 to now

NUT is a production score where 0.0 is league average, measured against each season's own league, so every era sits on one scale.

All-time #1s
Board	Leader	NUT
Hitting season	Babe Ruth, 1920	+12.5
Pitching season	Pedro Martínez, 1999	+7.3
Hitting career	Babe Ruth	+137.3
Pitching career	Roger Clemens	+62.6
Team season	Houston Astros, 2019	+32.0