MLB
Top 5 MLB Designated Hitters Ever + Fan Rankings
Create your own all-time rankings of the top 5 greatest Designated Hitters in MLB history from David Ortiz to Edgar Martinez to Paul Molitor
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April 6th, 2022 serves as the 49-year anniversary of Ron Blomberg officially becoming the first DH ever so it’s a great time to look at the MLB’s top 5 greatest Designated Hitters of all time since the inception of the new rule nearly half a century ago.
Beginning in 1973, the American League allowed teams to use a designated hitter for the pitcher, someone who was permitted to hit for the pitcher without taking him out of the game. The position was highly contentious in the National League but began to be integrated across the entire Majors in 2020.
Over the years, some of the league’s greatest offensive players cemented themselves as full-time DH’s with some of the names below revolutionizing the position. These players typically had some insufficiencies on the defensive side of the ball, however, they always made up for it at the plate. The rule in 1973 that allowed for one player to be a regular hitter without needing to play a single inning of defense truly changed the game forever. Honorable mention includes: Nelson Cruz, Travis Hafner, Hal McRae, and Don Baylor.
Here are the top 5 greatest MLB Designated Hitters of all time. Create your own rankings below!
– 10x All-Star, 7x Silver Slugger, 3x WS Champ (2013 MVP)
– Most career Hits (2,210) & HR (493) by a MLB DH ever
– Most walk-off RBI (36) in MLB history [incl. Playoffs]
As one of the most clutch hitters in league history, David Ortiz carried his team to victory on innumerable occasions, holding a plethora of walk-off records, such as RBI (36) and HR (13) and a majority of the DH records as well.
David Ortiz's MLB DH records:
– Career HR (493)
– Hits (2,210)
– RBI (1,589)
– Runs (1,283)
– BB (1,198)
– XBH (1,072)
– TB (4,286)
– GP (2,156)
– Season HR (54), XBH (91), & T-most season RBI (148)
pic.twitter.com/r69IKcsUsE— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 28, 2022
– 7x All-Star, 5x Silver Slugger, 3x AL OBP leader
– Most career RBI (1,261) & Runs (1,219) in Mariners history
– 2x AL AVG leader; most AL Runs (121) in 1995
Edgar Martinez produced at a level that was unmatched by any player to ever come out of the Mariners franchise, setting multiple team records that built a strong case for him to be considered one of the best DH’s to ever play the game.
Edgar Martinez’s #Mariners ranks:
– 1st in career RBI (1,261), Runs (1,219), OBP (.418), & BB (1,283)
– 2nd in career AVG (.312), OPS (.933), Hits (2,247), & HR (309)
– Top5 in season OBP (.479-.429)
– 1st in season OPS (1.107)
– 3rd in season AVG (.356)pic.twitter.com/OYrlGcjXci— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) October 9, 2021
– 5x All-Star, 2x MVP, 4x Silver Slugger, 2005 WS Champ
– 3x MLB OBP & BB leader; 1994 MLB Runs (106) leader
– Most career HR (448) & RBI (1,465) in White Sox history
Frank Thomas really knew how to memorialize a birthday, recording the highest career OPS (1.349) for any player on their special day. He gave his team a reason to celebrate every other day of the season with his consistency of getting on base and knocking in runs.
Frank Thomas HOF resume:
– 5x All-Star, 4x Silver Slugger, 2x AL MVP
– 3x MLB OBP Leader & 1992 AL OBP Leader
– 1997 AL Batting Title (.347)
– 1994 MLB Runs Leader (106)
– 1st to win 2 Silver Sluggers at 2 different positions
– #35 retired by #WhiteSoxpic.twitter.com/9yOMs56CCa— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) June 10, 2021
– 7x All-Star, 4x Silver Slugger, 1993 WS Champ (MVP)
– 3x AL Runs & Hits leader; Most career SB (504) by a DH
– Highest AVG (.368) in MLB Playoff history [min 25 GP]
Known as The Ignitor, Paul Molitor had the ability to light up the field whenever he stepped into the box, racking up over 3,000 hits throughout his career, and excelled on the basepaths unlike any DH to ever play the game.
Paul Molitor's HOF resume:
– 7x All-Star
– 4x Silver Slugger
– 1993 World Series Champ & WS MVP
– 2x MLB Runs Leader, 1987 AL Leader
– 3,000 Hits Club
– #4 retired by #Brewers
pic.twitter.com/6rDtrzPq7B— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) August 22, 2021
– 6x All-Star, 1989 Silver Slugger, 2005 World Series Champ
– 1984 AL SLG (.541) leader; #3 retired by Chicago
– Most HR (221) & RBI (981) by a lefty for the White Sox
Despite many of his records being broken since his retirement in 2001, Harold Baines was a durable player who helped his team make the postseason on multiple occasions and always seemed to rise to the occasion.
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