For the first time since 2022, four teams—the A’s, Royals, Rockies and White Sox—lost at least 100 games. Through 2018, there had been one season in history in which four teams lost 100 or more games. It has happened in all four (non-COVID) seasons since then.
For the first time since 2021, a pitcher—Shohei Ohtani—made 10 consecutive starts with three or fewer hits allowed in each. During that stretch, batters hit .106 against Ohtani, in 59 total innings. Excluding pitchers used as openers, Ohtani and Jacob deGrom—who did it in 2021—are the only pitchers in the live ball era with such a streak.
For the first time since 2020, the San Francisco Giants finished under .500. (In the two intervening seasons, they finished 52 games over .500 and exactly .500.)
The Braves became the first team since 2019 with five players who hit at least 30 homers. They and the 2019 Twins are the only such teams in history. The Braves’ quintet outhomered the Twins’ quintet, 205 to 174.
For the first time since 2018, a team was shut out in its first two games of the season. The Royals went on to finish 56-106. The 2018 Dodgers, shut out in their first two games, went on to lose the World Series in five games. (Via Baseball Reference.)
For the first time since 2017, a batter drove in 100 runs from the leadoff spot. Five players have done so in history; three—Ronald Acuña, Mookie Betts and Marcus Semien—did it this year.
For the first time since 2016, a batter got a base hit on a pitch as fast as 103.8 mph. Brandon Nimmo’s single off Jordan Hicks—which was a doink if ever there was a doink—was only the fourth hit against a pitch that fast in the pitch-tracking era; the other three were all off Aroldis Chapman. (Indirectly via Sarah Langs.)
For the first time since 2015, a starting pitcher—Alex Cobb—threw a 131st pitch of the game without a no-hitter on the line. Cobb did take a no-hitter into the ninth inning, but even after Cobb allowed a hit Giants manager Gabe Kapler left him in to complete the game. Cobb’s 131 pitches were the most by any pitcher since Mike Fiers’ no-hitter in 2019, and the most in a non-no-hitter since 2018 (when Sean Newcomb was removed immediately after allowing his first hit). Clayton Kershaw threw 132 in just a regular ol’ start in 2015.
For the first time since 2014, the Tigers sold out back-to-back games. The crowds were there to see Miguel Cabrera’s final two games, but they also got to see the Tigers beat the Guardians twice and unexpectedly finish the season in second place, their first second-place finish since 2016. (Via Jeanna Trotman.)
For the first time since 2013, brothers—Bo and Josh Naylor this time, Justin and B.J. Upton that time—homered in the same half-inning. (Via Sarah Langs.)
For the first time since 2012, a pitcher threw a perfect game. Domingo German’s perfect game was just the 24th in 150 years of AL/NL history; oddly, the 21st, 22nd and 23rd had all come in the same 2012 season, leading one Sam Miller to write an ESPN Magazine article inspired by the new supposed perfect game era. German snapped the longest leaguewide perfecto drought since the one that ended in 1981.
For the first time since 2011, a runner was thrown out stealing in the All-Star game. Two, in fact. All-Stars had stolen 13 in a row successfully.
For the first time since 2010, Justin Verlander had a batterymate who was 23 or younger. Back then, his catcher was Alex Avila (23), and Verlander was 27. This year, it was Francisco Álvarez (21), and Verlander was 40. (Via Sarah Langs.)
For the first time since 2009, a baserunner had a perfect basestealing season (minimum, uh, 23 attempts). Trea Turner’s 30-for-30 broke the record Chase Utley set by going 23-for-23 in 2009.
For the first time since 2008, two starting pitchers with a combined 467 career victories faced each other in a game. Justin Verlander got the win over Max Scherzer, increasing their combined total to 468. That’s the most combined wins by two pitching opponents since Greg Maddux faced Barry Zito in September 2008. (The Maddux/Zito matchup was two weeks after Maddux and Randy Johnson—with 648 career wins at the time—had been scheduled to face each other. Both were scratched, and the replacement pitchers were Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer, with a total at the time of three career wins.) (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
For the first time since 2007, a team lost by 24 runs. The Rockies landed the worst defeat since the 2007 Orioles, and the third-worst defeat in AL/NL history. On the winning side, Shohei Ohtani went 1-for-7 and had the lowest win probability of any Angel.
For the first time since 2006, a batter—Kyle Tucker—tripled twice in one inning.
For the first time since 2005, the Braves lost a series to the A’s. The Braves had entered the series 32-21, and the A’s had entered 10-45, and the Braves finished the season 54 games ahead of the A’s.
For the first time since 2003, the Mariners led the AL West as late as Aug. 28.
For the first time since 2002, the Cardinals started different catchers in the first two games of the season. Yadier Molina had started the first two games of every season from 2005 to 2022. (Via KSDK.)
For the first time since 2001, the Twins won the season series against the Yankees. Besides going 38-98 in the regular season against New York since then, the Twins had gone 2-16 against the Yankees in the postseason.
For the first time since 2000, a batter—Ronald Acuña—scored 149 runs. Acuña also had the most stolen bases by anybody since 2007, the most hits by anybody since 2014, and the most times on base by anybody since 2017.
While we’re here, Freddie Freeman was the first batter to hit 59 doubles since Todd Helton in 2000. My friend Eric mentioned to me last week that he was obsessed with Freeman’s 60-doubles chase, a strong interest that I shared. “But why? Why am i not satisfied with 59 doubles? What is wrong with me?” Eric asked. I can’t say for sure in Eric’s case, but the simplest answer is this:
Freddie Freeman was the first batter to hit 59 doubles since Todd Helton in 2000. Freddie Freeman would have been the first batter to hit 60 doubles since 1936. In a sport that rarely sets records anymore, the length of the “since” is king.
For the first time since 1999, a pitcher threw a no-hitter in fewer than 95 pitches. Framber Valdez’ 93-pitch start was the third most efficient no-hitter since at least 1988, which is as far back as pitch-count data goes. Valdez also threw seven innings of no-hit ball in a different start this year, but he was pulled from that game because his pitch count had reached 114. Sixteen pitchers were pulled from active (5+ inning) no-hit bids this year, second most in history. Corbin Burnes this year became just the second pitcher since 1980 to be pulled from an eight-inning no-hit bid. The other one was also Corbin Burnes.
For the first time since 1998, the Padres had a run differential over 100. It was their second best run differential in franchise history.
Leaguewide, baserunners stole .73 bases per game, the most since 1997. But the league’s stolen base attempts per game is only the most since 2011.
For the first time since 1996—very very briefly, during the 20 minutes after the retiring Miguel Cabrera was removed from the final game of the season—there was no active 500-home run hitter. The next to reach 500 will likely be Giancarlo Stanton (at 402), Mike Trout (at 368), or … Bryce Harper, at 306? (Via Will Harris.)
For the first time since 1995, the Yankees lost eight games in a row.
For the first time since 1994, a batter—Luis Arráez—had an AVG+ over 140 in a fullish season. (That basically just means his batting average was at least 40 percent better than the rest of the league’s.) A couple guys had a higher AVG+ in the super-short COVID season, but otherwise nobody since Tony Gwynn in the somewhat short 1994 strike year. Nobody has outhit the league more than Arráez in a truly full season since George Brett in 1980, the year Brett hit .390.
For the first time since 1992, the Orioles had a starting pitcher—Kyle Bradish—with a sub-3 ERA. The last one was actually Mike Mussina’s first full season in the majors. During the intervening years, the Orioles had as many qualifying starting pitchers with ERAs over 5.50 (five) as they had non-Mussina starters with ERAs under 3.50. (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
For the first time since 1991, the Mariners won a game on the road that they’d trailed by four-plus runs in the eighth inning or later. (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
For the first time since 1990, the Cardinals finished in last place.
The Rays were the first team since 1987 to start a season 13-0.
Elly De La Cruz was the first player since 1985 (Vince Coleman) to steal four bases and drive in four runs in his first seven career games.
Major League Baseball games took two hours and 42 minutes, the fastest average game since 1984.
For the first time since 1982, the Yankees lost nine straight games.
For the first time since 1980, the Orioles won 100+ games.
For the first time since 1979,
For the first time since 1978, an Angels pitcher struck out at least 80 batters in his first 10 starts of the season. Then: Nolan Ryan. Now: Shohei Ohtani. (At one point in late June, Ohtani also led the majors in home runs and triples; it was the latest into the season that one player had led the league in both categories simultaneously since Jim Rice in 1978.) (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
For the first time since 1976, the Mets a) reached base at least 16 times in a game and b) were shut out. (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
For the first time since 1973,
Elly De La Cruz became the youngest player to hit for the cycle since 1972. (Via Sarah Langs.)
For the first time since 1971, a pitcher threw a shutout and hit two home runs on the same day. (Shohei Ohtani, unlike Sonny Siebert, did it in separate games.) (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
For the first time since 1969, the Yankees started a lineup with six position players 24 or younger. (Via James Smyth.)
Blake Snell’s ERA over his final 23 starts was 1.20, the lowest ERA in a 23-start span since 1968 (Bob Gibson). Snell, all but certain to win the Cy Young award this year, began the streak with a 1-6 record and 5.40 ERA.
For the first time since 1967, both the Mets and Yankees were alone in last place after Aug. 1. (Via Elias Sports.)
For the first time since 1966, the Red Sox and Yankees finished in the bottom two spots in the standings.
For the first time since 1963, an American League pitcher struck out 10 batters and homered twice in the same game. (It was Shohei Ohtani.) (Via Associated Press.)
For the first time since 1962, a rookie (Masataka Yoshida) homered twice in an inning. Also, Anthony Volpe was the youngest Yankee to debut as an Opening Day starter since 1962. Joe Pepitone was the previously player in both cases.
Michael Lorenzen was the first pitcher since 1960 to throw a no-hitter in his home debut with a team. (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
The Braves in June were the first team to average seven runs per game, and win 80 percent of their games, in a month since the 1950 Red Sox. (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
For the first time since 1949, a team walked 17 batters in a nine-inning game. The A’s pitchers also hit two batters, which means that more than one-third of all batters they faced that day were given a free base.
For the first time since 1944,
The Rays were the first team since 1939 to win nine games in a row by four or more runs. (Via Baseball Reference.) Also, Mookie Betts was the first player since Joe DiMaggio in 1939 to have 10 homers, 30 RBIs and 50 hits in a month. (Via Sarah Langs.)
For the first time since 1938,
Domingo German’s perfect game was the first no-hitter since 1937 to immediately follow a 10-run outing by the same pitcher. (Via Sarah Langs.)
The Orioles were the first team since 1930 to win a nine-inning game in which they allowed 23 or more hits. (Via Baseball-Reference.)
For the first time since 1925 (Milt Stock), a player (Julio Rodríguez) had four straight games with four or more hits.
For the first time since 1918, a pitcher threw a shutout in game one of a doubleheader and started as a non-pitcher in the second game.
For the first time since 1916, a manager won 100 games with a team after previously losing 100 games with the same franchise.
For the first time since 1913, a pitcher (Luke Weaver) had an ERA of at least 8.79 over 10 starts while his team won at least nine of the 10 games. That’s pretty convoluted, but you get it. (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
For the first time since 1912, a player under 21 years old began their career with a 12-game hit streak. This time: Jordan Walker. Previously: Eddie Murphy.
For the first time since 1907, the Cardinals were 10 games behind the Pirates at the end of April.
On June 17 the Dodgers lost 15-0 at home. It was their worst home shutout since 1898.
The Rockies won a series against the Angels despite being outscored by 20 runs in the series, the largest run differential by a series-winning team since the 1897 Louisville Colonels. (Via ESPN.)
The A’s had the worst run differential through 21 games (-100) since the 1896 Louisville Colonels. (Via ESPN.)
The A’s had “the longest win streak by any AL/NL team who had a sub-.200 win percentage entering the streak” since 1895. Their streak tied the Louisville Colonels. (Via ESPN Stats & Info.)
On July 18th, 12 teams scored double-digit runs on the same day. It was the most teams scoring 10+ runs in a day since 1894, when 13 teams—including the victorious Louisville Colonels—did so. (Via Emma Baccellieri.)
The Reds were the first team since 1890 to win 11 games in a row the season after losing 100 games or more, joining the… Louisville Colonels.
For the first time since 1882, the Reds beat the Cardinals by at least 17 runs. (Via Sarah Langs, of course.)
Thanks to the Baseball Reference Stathead tool for making many of these queries possible.
The Padres ruined all sorts of fun facts by winning in extra innings and getting over .500 in the last week of the season.
Love this piece! A few more fun ones:
For the first time since 2007 the Cardinals finished a season below .500.
For the first time since 1999 the Cardinals were more than 4 games out of a playoff spot throughout the month of September.
For the first time since 1993 neither the Yankees, Red Sox, nor Cardinals made the postseason.