List of Major League Baseball career double plays as a right fielder leaders

In baseball statistics, a double play (denoted as DP) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. One double play is recorded for every defensive player who participates in the play, regardless of how many of the outs in which they were directly involved, and is counted in addition to whatever putouts and assists might also apply. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs.[1] The center fielder (CF) is one of the three outfielders, the defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. Center field is the area of the outfield directly in front of a person standing at home plate and facing beyond the pitcher's mound. The outfielders' duty is to try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield. Generally having the most territory to cover, the center fielder is usually the fastest of the three outfielders, although this can also depend on the relative strength of their throwing arms and the configuration of their home field, due to the deepest part of center field being the farthest point from the infield and home plate. The center fielder normally plays behind the shortstop and second baseman, who play in or near the infield; unlike catchers and most infielders (excepting first basemen), who are virtually exclusively right-handed, center fielders can be either right- or left-handed. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the center fielder is assigned the number 8.

Harry Hooper, the all-time leader in career double plays by a right fielder

Right fielders are most commonly credited with a double play when they throw the ball to an infielder who tags a runner attempting to advance on the basepaths, even on a caught fly ball that results in an out (see tag up); of special importance are throws to the catcher if the runner is trying to reach home plate to score a run, perhaps on a sacrifice fly. Left fielders will often record assists by throwing out runners who try to advance farther than the batter, such as going from first to third base on a single, or batter/runners who try to stretch a hit into a longer one. Outfielders also earn double plays on relay throws to infielders after particularly deep fly balls, by throwing to a base to record an out on an appeal play, or in situations where they might deflect a fly ball before another defensive player makes the catch; in extraordinary instances, right fielders have occasionally recorded double plays by throwing out batters at first base after fielding uncaught line drives that reached them quickly. Outfielders record far fewer double plays than other players due to the difficulty of making an accurate throw in time to retire a runner from a great distance; middle infielders routinely record more double plays in a single season than outfielders do in their entire careers. Double plays are an important statistic for outfielders, giving a greater indication of a left fielder's throwing arm than double plays by infielders do. In recent years, some sabermetricians have begun referring to assists by outfielders as baserunner kills.

Harry Hooper is the all-time leader in career double plays as a right fielder with 86;[2][3][4] he is the only right fielder with more than 80 career double plays. Jason Heyward, who had 20 double plays through the 2023 season to place him tied for 82nd all-time, is the leader among active players.

Key

RankRank amongst leaders in career double plays. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2024 DPs)Number of recorded double plays during the 2024 Major League Baseball season
MLBTotal career double plays as a center fielder in Major League Baseball
*Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Denotes total is missing figures for pre-1901 games
BoldDenotes active player[a]

List

Jason Heyward, the active leader in double plays by a right fielder and tied for 82nd all-time.
Mel Ott holds the National League record.
  • Stats updated as of the end of the 2023 season.
RankPlayer (2024 DPs)Double plays as a right fielderOther leagues, notes
MLBAmerican LeagueNational League
1Harry Hooper*86860
2Mel Ott*59059
3Sam Rice*55550
4Paul Waner*53053
5Sam Crawford* †503812
6Curt Walker46046
7Jesse Barfield45450
Ross Youngs*45045
9Dwight Evans42420
Chief Wilson42042
11Hank Aaron*40040
Roberto Clemente*40040
Tommy Griffith40040
Larry Walker*40040
15John Titus39039
16Bobby Bonds381523
Harry Heilmann*38335
Mike Mitchell38038
19Frank Schulte37433
20Chuck Klein*36036
21Cliff Heathcote34034
22George Browne33231
Kiki Cuyler*33033
Elmer Flick* †33267
Wally Moses33330
Rusty Staub33330
Casey Stengel*33033
28Vladimir Guerrero*321022
Willie Keeler* †32248
30Shano Collins31310
31Jermaine Dye30291
32Harry Lumley30030
Jack Tobin30250Includes 5 in Federal League
34Johnny Callison29128
Enos Slaughter*29227
36Tom Brunansky28253
Ty Cobb*28280
Steve Evans28020Includes 8 in Federal League
Max Flack28024Includes 4 in Federal League
Al Kaline*28280
Bob Meusel28271
Socks Seybold28280
Elmer Smith28253
44Bruce Campbell27270
Tommy Henrich27270
Dave Parker27027
Billy Southworth*27126
Dave Winfield*271116
49José Bautista26260
Jay Buhner26260
Reggie Jackson*26260
Danny Moeller26261
53Dante Bichette251312
Gavvy Cravath25025
Jeff Francoeur25718
Carl Furillo25025
Tommy Holmes25025
Sixto Lezcano251411
Ron Northey25025
60Jack Clark24024
José Guillén241014
Tony Gwynn*24024
Willard Marshall24024
64Patsy Donovan23518
Shawn Green23149
Babe Herman23023
Tim Salmon23230
Jimmy Sebring23023
Sammy Sosa23122
Darryl Strawberry23122
Dixie Walker23122
Glenn Wilson23419
73Bing Miller22220
Rubén Sierra22220
Ichiro Suzuki22220
76Bobby Abreu21912
Rocky Colavito21210
George Harper21219
Raúl Mondesí21714
Danny Murphy21190Includes 2 in Federal League
Bill Nicholson21021
82Danny Green20200
Jason Heyward (0)20020
Orlando Merced20515
Paul O'Neill20155
Tony Oliva*20200
Babe Ruth*20200
Homer Summa20200
89Jackie Jensen19190
Magglio Ordóñez19190
Braggo Roth19190
92Jeromy Burnitz18315
Rob Deer18018
Wilbur Good18216
Willie Kirkland1899
Don Mueller18117
Trot Nixon18180
Ellis Valentine18117
Vic Wertz18180
100Harold Baines*17170
Jay Bruce17512

Other Hall of Famers

PlayerDouble plays as a right fielderOther leagues, notes
MLBAmerican LeagueNational League
Stan Musial*17017
Frank Robinson*1679
Andre Dawson*15015
Lou Brock*909
Goose Goslin*880
Kirby Puckett*770
Max Carey*606
Billy Williams*606
Hack Wilson*606
Todd Helton*000
Joe Mauer*000

Notes

References