Best Athletics Players of All Time, Ranked by NUT

ATH · 1901–nowThe best Athletics players ever, by NUT with the club.

#1 hitterJimmie Foxx+51.9 NUT · 1927–1935

#1 pitcherLefty Grove+23.2 NUT · 1925–1933

World Series titles9Last in 1989

Jimmie Foxx is the most productive hitter in Athletics history by NUT at +51.9 over 9 qualified seasons with the club (1927–1935). Lefty Grove leads the pitchers at +23.2 over 9 seasons (1925–1933).

The franchise has played 126 seasons since 1901, as the Philadelphia Athletics (1901–1954), Kansas City Athletics (1955–1967), Oakland Athletics (1968–2024), Athletics (2025–2026). It has won 9 World Series titles, the last in 1989, in 14 trips to the World Series.

Its best club by team NUT was the 1932 Philadelphia Athletics at +17.0 (94-60), #2 of 16 that season.

Greatest Athletics NUT with the club, all qualified seasons

Hitters · top 25
#	Player	Seasons	NUT
1	Jimmie Foxx1B · 1927–1935	9	+51.9
2	Bob JohnsonLF · 1933–1942	10	+36.9
3	Al SimmonsLF · 1924–1932	9	+36.8
4	Rickey HendersonLF · 1979–1998	13	+32.5
5	Mark McGwire1B · 1987–1996	10	+31.4
6	Reggie JacksonRF · 1967–1987	10	+28.7
7	Eddie Collins Sr.2B · 1908–1927	8	+27.6
8	Jason Giambi1B · 1995–2001	7	+24.8
9	Mickey CochraneC · 1925–1933	9	+22.2
10	Home Run Baker3B · 1909–1914	6	+19.7
11	Sal Bando3B · 1967–1976	10	+19.6
12	Harry Davis1B · 1901–1911	11	+18.0
13	Topsy HartselLF · 1902–1910	9	+17.8
14	José CansecoRF · 1985–1997	8	+17.8
15	Elmer ValoRF · 1942–1955	12	+16.1
16	Ferris Fain1B · 1947–1952	6	+16.0
17	Socks SeyboldRF · 1901–1908	8	+15.9
18	Danny Murphy2B · 1902–1912	11	+14.3
19	Max Bishop2B · 1924–1933	10	+14.1
20	Gene TenaceC · 1970–1976	7	+13.2
21	Wally MosesRF · 1935–1951	10	+13.1
22	Norm Siebern1B · 1960–1963	4	+11.8
23	Eddie JoostSS · 1947–1953	7	+11.6
24	Sam ChapmanCF · 1938–1950	9	+10.1
25	Gus ZernialLF · 1951–1957	7	+9.6

Pitchers · top 25
#	Player	Seasons	NUT
1	Lefty GroveP · 1925–1933	9	+23.2
2	Rube WaddellP · 1902–1907	6	+21.9
3	Eddie PlankP · 1901–1914	14	+21.9
4	Chief BenderP · 1903–1914	12	+20.3
5	Vida BlueP · 1969–1977	9	+12.2
6	Dennis EckersleyP · 1987–1995	9	+11.7
7	Tim HudsonP · 1999–2004	6	+11.5
8	Rollie FingersP · 1969–1976	8	+8.7
9	Jack QuinnP · 1925–1930	6	+5.3
10	Mark MulderP · 2000–2004	5	+5.2
11	Liam HendriksP · 2016–2020	4	+5.1
12	Bobby ShantzP · 1949–1956	7	+4.5
13	Huston StreetP · 2005–2008	4	+4.4
14	Ken HoltzmanP · 1972–1975	4	+4.2
15	Sean DoolittleP · 2012–2016	4	+3.9
16	Barry ZitoP · 2000–2006	7	+3.8
17	Dan HarenP · 2005–2007	3	+3.8
18	Rich HardenP · 2003–2011	6	+3.6
19	Bob LockerP · 1970–1972	3	+3.2
20	Jack CoombsP · 1906–1912	7	+3.0
21	Justin DuchschererP · 2004–2010	5	+3.0
22	Joe BlantonP · 2005–2007	3	+2.9
23	Andrew BaileyP · 2009–2011	3	+2.8
24	Brett AndersonP · 2009–2019	7	+2.7
25	Jim MecirP · 2000–2004	5	+2.6

Best single seasons season NUT

Hitters
Player	Season	NUT
Jimmie Foxx	1932	+10.4
Jimmie Foxx	1933	+9.3
Jason Giambi	2001	+7.7
Nap Lajoie	1901	+7.3
Jimmie Foxx	1934	+7.2
Reggie Jackson	1969	+7.1
Jimmie Foxx	1935	+7.1
Jason Giambi	2000	+7.0
Mark McGwire	1996	+6.8
Al Simmons	1931	+6.3

Pitchers
Player	Season	NUT
Rube Waddell	1904	+5.2
Vida Blue	1971	+5.0
Rube Waddell	1903	+4.6
Lefty Grove	1930	+4.5
Rube Waddell	1905	+3.8
Vida Blue	1976	+3.5
Rube Waddell	1907	+3.5
Lefty Grove	1931	+3.4
Lefty Grove	1928	+3.4
Lefty Grove	1929	+3.3

Best by decade NUT with the club in that decade

2020s

HitterBrent Rooker+7.2

PitcherChris Bassitt+2.2

2010s

HitterBrandon Moss+6.0

PitcherLiam Hendriks+4.2

2000s

HitterJason Giambi+14.6

PitcherTim Hudson+9.7

1990s

HitterMark McGwire+21.8

PitcherDennis Eckersley+7.3

1980s

HitterRickey Henderson+18.0

PitcherDennis Eckersley+4.4

1970s

HitterReggie Jackson+19.7

PitcherVida Blue+13.8

1960s

HitterNorm Siebern+11.8

PitcherJim Nash+1.6

1950s

HitterFerris Fain+10.3

PitcherBobby Shantz+4.8

1940s

HitterBob Johnson+9.9

PitcherBobo Newsom+1.7

1930s

HitterJimmie Foxx+42.5

PitcherLefty Grove+11.6

1920s

HitterAl Simmons+21.0

PitcherLefty Grove+11.6

1910s

HitterEddie Collins Sr.+20.2

PitcherChief Bender+9.5

1900s

HitterHarry Davis+19.3

PitcherRube Waddell+21.9

Best Athletics teams season team NUT

1932

Philadelphia Athletics94-60

Team NUT+17.0A#2 of 16

2001

Oakland Athletics102-60

Team NUT+17.0A#2 of 30

1928

Philadelphia Athletics98-55

Team NUT+16.1A#1 of 16

2002

Oakland Athletics103-59

Team NUT+13.9A#5 of 30

1911

Philadelphia Athletics101-50

Team NUT+13.5A#2 of 16Won the World Series

How these lists are built

Each player's number is his season NUT added up over every season he qualified with the Athletics (100 plate appearances or 25 innings in a full season), so only his years with this club count. NUT is one number for production against that season's league average, with defense left out, so a 1930 season and a 2025 season sit on one scale. A player traded during a season appears under the club MLB lists his full-season line with. Seasons before 1901 were shorter, so their values run lower.

Best Athletics players of all time by NUT

Hitters
Player	Years	NUT
Jimmie Foxx	1927–1935	+51.9
Bob Johnson	1933–1942	+36.9
Al Simmons	1924–1932	+36.8
Rickey Henderson	1979–1998	+32.5
Mark McGwire	1987–1996	+31.4
Reggie Jackson	1967–1987	+28.7
Eddie Collins Sr.	1908–1927	+27.6
Jason Giambi	1995–2001	+24.8
Mickey Cochrane	1925–1933	+22.2
Home Run Baker	1909–1914	+19.7
Sal Bando	1967–1976	+19.6
Harry Davis	1901–1911	+18.0
Topsy Hartsel	1902–1910	+17.8
José Canseco	1985–1997	+17.8
Elmer Valo	1942–1955	+16.1
Ferris Fain	1947–1952	+16.0
Socks Seybold	1901–1908	+15.9
Danny Murphy	1902–1912	+14.3
Max Bishop	1924–1933	+14.1
Gene Tenace	1970–1976	+13.2
Wally Moses	1935–1951	+13.1
Norm Siebern	1960–1963	+11.8
Eddie Joost	1947–1953	+11.6
Sam Chapman	1938–1950	+10.1
Gus Zernial	1951–1957	+9.6

Pitchers
Player	Years	NUT
Lefty Grove	1925–1933	+23.2
Rube Waddell	1902–1907	+21.9
Eddie Plank	1901–1914	+21.9
Chief Bender	1903–1914	+20.3
Vida Blue	1969–1977	+12.2
Dennis Eckersley	1987–1995	+11.7
Tim Hudson	1999–2004	+11.5
Rollie Fingers	1969–1976	+8.7
Jack Quinn	1925–1930	+5.3
Mark Mulder	2000–2004	+5.2
Liam Hendriks	2016–2020	+5.1
Bobby Shantz	1949–1956	+4.5
Huston Street	2005–2008	+4.4
Ken Holtzman	1972–1975	+4.2
Sean Doolittle	2012–2016	+3.9
Barry Zito	2000–2006	+3.8
Dan Haren	2005–2007	+3.8
Rich Harden	2003–2011	+3.6
Bob Locker	1970–1972	+3.2
Jack Coombs	1906–1912	+3.0
Justin Duchscherer	2004–2010	+3.0
Joe Blanton	2005–2007	+2.9
Andrew Bailey	2009–2011	+2.8
Brett Anderson	2009–2019	+2.7
Jim Mecir	2000–2004	+2.6