List of Major League Baseball career games played as a right fielder 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, before a game, are included on a starting lineup card or are announced as ex ante substitutes, whether or not they play;[1] 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 right fielder (RF) is one of the three outfielders, the defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. The right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing toward the pitcher's mound. The outfielders must 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. The right fielder must also be adept at navigating the area of right field where the foul line approaches the corner of the playing field and the walls of the seating areas. Being the outfielder farthest from third base, the right fielder often has to make longer throws than the other outfielders to throw out runners advancing around the bases, so they often have the strongest or most accurate throwing arm. The right fielder normally plays behind the second baseman and first baseman, who play in or near the infield; unlike catchers and most infielders (excepting first basemen), who are virtually exclusively right-handed, right fielders can be either right- or left-handed. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the right fielder is assigned the number 9, the highest number.

Roberto Clemente, the all-time leader in games played as a right fielder

Because game accounts and box scores often did not distinguish between the outfield positions, there has been some difficulty in determining precise defensive statistics before 1901; because of this, and because of the similarity in their roles, defensive statistics for the three positions are frequently combined. However, efforts to distinguish between the three positions regarding games played during this period and reconstruct the separate totals have been largely successful; players whose totals include pre-1901 games are notated in the table below. Roberto Clemente is the all-time leader in career games played as a right fielder with 2,305.[2][3][4] Paul Waner (2,250),[5] Harry Hooper (2,183),[6] Hank Aaron (2,174),[7] Mel Ott (2,161),[8] Tony Gwynn (2,144),[9] Dwight Evans (2,092),[10] Nick Markakis (2,074),[11] Al Kaline (2,031),[12] Willie Keeler (2,019),[13] and Sammy Sosa (2,015)[14] are the only other players to appear in over 2,000 games in right field in their careers.

Key

RankRank amongst leaders in career games played. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2024 Gs)Number of games played during the 2024 Major League Baseball season
MLBTotal career games played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball
*Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Denotes total including pre-1901 games
BoldDenotes active player[a]

List

Jason Heyward, the active leader and 28th all-time in games played as a right fielder.
Paul Waner held the major league record for 29 years.
Harry Hooper holds the American League record.
Dwight Evans' 2,092 games as a right fielder in the American League are the most by any player since 1920.
Willie Keeler was the first player to appear in 2,000 games in right field.
Patsy Donovan held the National League record for 32 years.
  • Stats updated as of June 12, 2024.
RankPlayer (2024 Gs)Games as a right fielderOther leagues, notes
MLBAmerican LeagueNational League
1Roberto Clemente*2,30502,305
2Paul Waner*2,25002,250Held major league record, 1943–1972; held National League record, 1936-1972
3Harry Hooper*2,1832,1830Held major league record, 1924-1943
4Hank Aaron*2,17402,174
5Mel Ott*2,16102,161
6Tony Gwynn*2,14402,144
7Dwight Evans2,0922,0920
8Nick Markakis2,0741,325749
9Al Kaline*2,0312,0310
10Sammy Sosa2,0153461,669
11Bobby Abreu1,9905941,396
12Ichiro Suzuki1,9701,827143
13Reggie Jackson*1,9421,9420
14Dave Winfield*1,8831,000883
15Paul O'Neill1,8481,163685
16Dave Parker1,79211,791
17Larry Walker *1,71801,718
18Magglio Ordóñez1,7131,7130
19Sam Crawford* †1,6751,415260Held American League record, 1912-1920
20Jermaine Dye1,6711,60071
21Sam Rice*1,6491,6490
22Shawn Green1,6305691,061
23Vladimir Guerrero*1,605615990
Rusty Staub1,6051371,468
25Wally Moses1,5871,5870
26Johnny Callison1,5771061,471
27Tom Brunansky1,5691,254315
28Jason Heyward (24)1,55101,551
29Enos Slaughter*1,5401961,344
30Harry Heilmann*1,5251,419106
31Bobby Bonds1,474586888
32Bill Nicholson1,44211,441
33Jay Bruce1,437651,372
34Rubén Sierra1,4251,41312
35Hunter Pence1,42081,412
36Carl Furillo1,40901,409
37Jeromy Burnitz1,3651531,212
38Jay Buhner1,3571,3570
39Jesse Barfield1,3391,3390
40Raúl Mondesí1,325463862
41Tommy Griffith1,31901,319
42Ken Singleton1,311865446
43Darryl Strawberry1,308181,290
44Chuck Klein*1,30701,307
45Al Cowens1,2921,2920
46Jeff Francoeur1,290365925
47Hank Bauer1,2891,2890
48Rocky Colavito1,2821,26913
49Andre Dawson*1,281201,261
50Frank Robinson*1,270648622
51J. D. Drew1,268579689
52Tim Salmon1,2631,2630
53Alex Ríos1,2501,2500
54José Guillén1,211522689
55Jackie Jensen1,2051,2050
John Titus1,20501,205
57Dixie Walker1,2021691,033
58Ross Youngs*1,19201,192
59Frank Schulte1,186601,126
60Pete Fox1,1671,1670
61Bruce Campbell1,1661,1660
62Reggie Sanders1,165821,083
63Gary Sheffield1,160295865
64Roger Maris1,151949202
65Max Flack1,14601,044Includes 102 in Federal League
66Tony Oliva*1,1371,1370
67Babe Ruth*1,1281,1244
Jack Tobin1,1288880Includes 240 in Federal League
69Curt Walker1,12301,123
70Josh Reddick1,1081,03078
71Kole Calhoun1,1071,02087
72Willie Keeler* †1,102844258Held major league record, 1906-1924
73Claudell Washington1,096450646
74José Bautista1,071957114
75Giancarlo Stanton (0)1,063121942
75Sixto Lezcano1,061692369
77Don Mueller1,046431,003
78Harold Baines*1,0421,0420
79Jayson Werth1,02029991
80Jack Clark1,01314999
81Chief Wilson1,00501,005
82Babe Herman9940994
83Bing Miller9929920
84Ken Griffey990113877
85Mookie Betts (0)978585393
86Trot Nixon9619565
87Elmer Valo957843114
88Gavvy Cravath95516939
89Kevin Bass95462892
90Shin-Soo Choo9479470
Bryce Harper (0)9470947
92Brian Jordan94544901
93Glenn Wilson940222718
94Shano Collins9369360
95Elmer Flick* †927789138
96Andre Ethier9220922
97Ollie Brown91169842
98Dante Bichette908319589
99Mike Mitchell9066900
100Manny Ramirez9049040

Other Hall of Famers

PlayerGames as a right fielderOther leagues, notes
MLBAmerican LeagueNational League
Casey Stengel*8990899
Kiki Cuyler*8160816
Billy Southworth*8084804
Stan Musial*7830783
King Kelly* †7420733Includes 5 in American Association, 4 in Players' League;
held National League record, 1889-1891
Ty Cobb *7097090
Tommy McCarthy* †6470178Includes in 462 in American Association, 7 in Union Association
Hugh Duffy* †4370199Includes 120 in the Players' League, 118 in American Association
Billy Williams*3810381
Duke Snider*2930293
Kirby Puckett*2762760
Honus Wagner* †2720272
Lou Brock*2420242
Ken Griffey Jr.*2316225
Jim O'Rourke* †217095Includes 22 in National Association, 100 in Players' League
Goose Goslin*1731730
Ted Williams*1691690
Billy Hamilton* †16301Includes in 162 in American Association
Heinie Manush*15419135
Hack Wilson*1490149
Mickey Mantle*1471470
Max Carey*1450145
Cristóbal Torriente*14300Includes 143 in Negro National League (first) (incomplete)
Monte Irvin*1270105Includes 22 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
Chick Hafey*1220122
Jesse Burkett* †1150115
Larry Doby*1051050Negro League totals unavailable
John Montgomery Ward* †1000100
Freddie Lindstrom*75075
Frank Chance* †65065
Pete Hill*5200Includes 50 in Negro National League (first), 2 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete)
Jud Wilson*4700Includes 23 in Eastern Colored League, 17 in Negro National League (second),
7 in American Negro League (incomplete)
Joe Medwick*43043
Ed Delahanty* †392016Includes 3 in the Players' League
Lloyd Waner*33033
Willard Brown*23170Includes 6 in Negro American League (incomplete)
Todd Helton*202
Joe Mauer*220

References