List of Major League Baseball single-game runs batted in leaders

In baseball, a run batted in (RBI) is awarded to a batter for each runner who scores as a result of the batter's action, including a hit, fielder's choice, sacrifice fly, sacrifice bunt, catcher's interference, or a walk or hit by pitch with the bases loaded.[1] A batter is also awarded an RBI for scoring himself upon hitting a home run.[1] Sixteen players have batted in at least 10 runs in a single Major League Baseball (MLB) game to date, the most recent being Mark Reynolds of the Washington Nationals on July 6, 2018.[2] No player has accomplished the feat more than once in his career and no player has ever recorded more than 12 RBIs in a game. Wilbert Robinson was the first player to record at least 10 RBIs in a single game,[3][4] driving in 11 runs for the Baltimore Orioles against the St. Louis Browns on June 10, 1892.[5]

A man, wearing a baseball cap with a "T" in the center and a white baseball uniform with the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball logo on the left breast, leans forward smiling.
A man, wearing a baseball cap with the Detroit Tigers' Old English "D" logo in the center and a white baseball uniform with obscured lettering, faces forward.
A man in white pants, a dark blue baseball cap, and a dark blue baseball jersey with "5" on the back leans on a baseball bat in his left hand.
Tony Lazzeri (left), Rudy York (center) and Nomar Garciaparra (right) are the only players to amass 10 runs batted in and hit two grand slams in the same game.

As of 2018, every team that has had a player achieve the milestone has won the game in which it occurred. These games have resulted in other single-game MLB records being set due to the prodigious offensive performance. Robinson, for example, also amassed seven hits in that same game, setting a new major league record that has since been tied by only one other player.[6] Mark Whiten hit four home runs to complement his 12 RBIs for the St. Louis Cardinals on September 7, 1993, tying the single-game records in both categories.[7][8] By attaining both milestones, he became one of only two players to hit four home runs and drive in 10 or more runs in the same game,[3] with Scooter Gennett being the other.[2][9] Tony Lazzeri, Rudy York, and Nomar Garciaparra hit two grand slams during their 10 RBI game,[10][11][12] equaling the record for most grand slams in one game.[13] Norm Zauchin has the fewest career RBIs among players who have 10 RBIs in one game with 159, while Alex Rodriguez, with 2,086, drove in more runs than any other player in this group and hit the third most in major league history.[14]

Of the eight players eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame who have batted in 10 runs in a game, four have been elected and one was elected on the first ballot. Players are eligible for the Hall of Fame if they have played in at least 10 MLB seasons, and have either been retired for five seasons or deceased for at least six months.[15] These requirements leave three players ineligible who are living and have played in the past five seasons and two—Phil Weintraub and Zauchin—who did not play in 10 seasons.[16][17]

Players

Wilbert Robinson was the first player to drive in at least 10 runs in one game, and also amassed a record seven hits in the same game.
Mark Reynolds is the most recent player to have 10 RBIs in one game, achieving the feat in 2018.
Key
PlayerName of the player
DateDate of the game
TeamThe player's team at the time of the game
Opposing teamThe team against whom the player hit 10 runs batted in
ScoreFinal score of the game, with the player's team score listed first
Runs batted inNumber of runs batted in the player hit
Career RBIThe number of runs batted in the player hit in his MLB career
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
Player is active
MLB hitters with 10 RBI in one game
PlayerDateTeamOpposing teamScoreRuns batted inCareer RBIRefs
Wilbert RobinsonJune 10, 1892Baltimore OriolesSt. Louis Browns25–411722[5][18]
Jim BottomleySeptember 16, 1924St. Louis CardinalsBrooklyn Robins17–3121,422[19][20]
Tony LazzeriMay 24, 1936New York YankeesPhiladelphia Athletics25–2111,194[21][22]
Phil WeintraubApril 30, 1944New York GiantsBrooklyn Dodgers26–811207[16][23]
Rudy YorkJuly 27, 1946Boston Red SoxSt. Louis Browns13–6101,152[24][25]
Walker CooperJuly 6, 1949Cincinnati RedsChicago Cubs23–410812[26][27]
Norm ZauchinMay 27, 1955Boston Red SoxWashington Senators16–010159[17][28]
Reggie JacksonJune 14, 1969Oakland AthleticsBoston Red Sox21–7101,702[29][30]
Fred LynnJune 18, 1975Boston Red SoxDetroit Tigers15–1101,111[31][32]
Mark WhitenSeptember 7, 1993St. Louis CardinalsCincinnati Reds15–212423[33][34]
Nomar GarciaparraMay 10, 1999Boston Red SoxSeattle Mariners12–410936[35][36]
Alex RodriguezApril 26, 2005New York YankeesLos Angeles Angels12–4102,086[37][38]
Garret AndersonAugust 21, 2007Los Angeles AngelsNew York Yankees18–9101,365[39][40]
Anthony RendonApril 30, 2017Washington NationalsNew York Mets23–510596[41][42]
Scooter GennettJune 6, 2017Cincinnati RedsSt. Louis Cardinals13–110349[43][44]
Mark ReynoldsJuly 7, 2018Washington NationalsMiami Marlins18–410851[45][46]

References

General

  • "RBI Records / Runs Batted in Records (scroll down to bottom)". Baseball-Almanac.com. Baseball Almanac. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  • "10 RBIs in a game". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 7, 2014.

Specific