For every home run number that has been achieved on more than one occasion, a highest and lowest RBI total were established for that figure. As the long ball number gets smaller, the quantity of players who attained the figure becomes greater while the disparity between the highest and lowest RBI totals become more pronounced. With this in mind, I decided to research which players produced the highest and lowest RBI totals for each round-tripper number. After examining long ball numbers 30 and higher in part one of this three-part series, for part two, I will be counting down the top and bottom RBI totals for the impressive-to-moderate home run numbers of 29 to 10.
Similar
to part one, a large portion of the leading RBI totals were achieved by
players from the high-scoring Live Ball Era of the 1920s and 1930s. However, as the home run numbers drop into the teens, the top RBI
totals start to become dominated by players from the 1890s—a decade that
averaged an even higher number of runs scored per game than the 1920s
or 1930s. Thus, for those instances, I have also included the top RBI
total for players from the post-1900 Modern Era. While the peak RBI
marks for home run numbers 10 through 29 have been predominantly
produced by players from earlier eras, the opposite is true for the
bottom-feeding RBI totals which have all been registered within the past
41 years.
Unless otherwise noted, the players
who established the top RBI totals were primarily batted out of the
three-hole, cleanup, or five-spot in the order. Players hitting out of
those three spots generally stepped into the batter’s box with a greater
number of runners on base than the other spots in the order. Taking
this into account, I included a pair of statistics that readers may not
be familiar with: BR and BRS%. If you read part one, feel free to skip
over the italicized paragraph below which further explains BR and BRS%.
BR
represents the total number of runners on base when the batter came to
the plate. BRS% represents the percentage of how many of those
baserunners scored during the batters’ plate appearances. BRS% includes
all the baserunners the batter drove in outside of driving himself in
via the long ball. However, BRS% also includes the small number of
baserunners who scored during the batters’ plate appearances for which
he was not credited with a RBI. Nevertheless, BRS% is still a useful
tool to determine how well a batter capitalized on their RBI
opportunities. Because higher-scoring eras produced loftier BR and BRS%
figures, I have placed the average BRS% for the players’ respective
league next to their individual BRS%. Since the majority of the players
who posted the top RBI totals were batted in the heart of the order, I
do not consider merely registering an above average BRS% to be
sufficient. In my opinion, for a single season, a figure close to three
percent over the league norm is good, anything approaching a
four-percent edge is very good, and an advantage of five percent or more
is excellent. Because play-by-play data is missing for a small number
of games for seasons prior to 1969, BR and BRS% statistics are subject
to change should that data become available. Bearing this in mind, the
bold leading totals for those figures are also italicized.
Part
one featured sluggers who padded their RBI totals with lofty home run
figures. For part two, the long ball numbers aren’t quite as
impressive. Thus, many of these players boosted their RBI output in
alternative ways such as posting a high batting average or racking up
lots of doubles and/or triples.
As the home run
numbers are counted down, the lowest RBI totals are more likely to be
produced by a bench player or a starter who missed ample time with
injury. In most cases, these players were also batted outside of the
heart of the order and registered poor BRS percentages.
Next
to each home run number, I have displayed the quantity of times the
figure has been attained. Bold numbers on the player’s stat line
denotes the player led their respective league in the category.
29-184 individual seasons
High 144-Mike Sweeney 2000 Royals, 159 G, 717 PA, 29 HR, 144 RBI, .333 BA, .407 OBP, .523 SLG, 131 OPS+, 527 BR, 22.8 BRS% vs. 15.7 AL avg
Low 59-Brandon
Belt 2021 Giants, 97 G, 381 PA, 29 HR, 59 RBI, .274 BA, .378 OBP, .597
SLG, 160 OPS+, 229 BR, 13.1 BRS% vs. 13.9 NL avg
Despite
playing for the 77-win Royals, first baseman Mike Sweeney stepped up to
the plate with a staggering 527 runners on base, a total only two
behind the league-high figure of another first baseman, Seattle’s John
Olerud. Sweeney did a phenomenal job of taking advantage of his
opportunities, pacing the AL with a 22.8 BRS%. Sweeney’s 144 RBI
slotted him runner-up among junior circuit batters, putting him a mere
one RBI behind the leading mark of another Mariners slugger, Edgar
Martinez.
In contrast to Sweeney, the player
who produced the lowest RBI total for 29 long balls, Brandon Belt,
manned first base for the 107-win NL West champion-Giants. While
Sweeney batted out of the three-hole for the mediocre Royals, Belt split
the majority of his plate appearances between hitting out of the
two-spot and cleanup in San Francisco’s order. Belt hit much better out
of the two-hole, batting .347 while racking up 17 round-trippers and 34
RBI across 29 games. By comparison, he floundered as the
cleanup-hitter, compiling seven home runs and just 13 RBI over 38
contests while batting .220. Belt saw far fewer RBI opportunities than
Sweeney but also struggled to capitalize on the ones he did see,
registering a below league-average BRS% of 13.1. Be that as it may, the
Giants slugger owes his presence at the bottom of the RBI rundown to
missing significant time with injuries. Had Belt suited up for anything
close to 162 games—even while maintaining a lackluster BRS%—he likely
would have approached a triple-digit RBI total.
28-199 individual seasons
High 139-Magglio Ordóñez 2007 Tigers, 157 G, 679 PA, 28 HR, 139 RBI, .363 BA, .434 OBP, .595 SLG, 166 OPS+, 508 BR, 22.1 BRS% vs. 15.4 AL avg
Low 51-Byron Buxton 2022 Twins, 92 G, 382 PA, 28 HR, 51 RBI, .224 BA, .306 OBP, .526 SLG, 133 OPS+, 197 BR, 11.7 BRS% vs. 14.0 AL avg
Tigers
right fielder Magglio Ordóñez scorched opposing pitching in 2007,
hitting .363 to claim the AL batting crown. Ordóñez additionally paced
the junior loop with 54 doubles and a 22.1 BRS%. In stark contrast to
Ordóñez, who suited up for all but five of Detroit’s 162 games, the
player to produce the low RBI figure for 28 long balls, oft-injured
Twins center fielder Byron Buxton, appeared in just 92 contests for the
2022 Twins. A variety of ailments caused Buxton to miss 28 of
Minnesota’s first 120 games before a late-August hip strain sidelined
him for the remainder of the season. Buxton’s RBI total was also
hindered by his subpar 11.7 BRS% which to some degree was a byproduct of
his placement at the top of the Twins batting order. Buxton hit out of
the leadoff spot for close to 60% of his plate appearances with the
remainder essentially split between the two and the three-hole.
27-270 individual seasons
High 153-Tommy Davis 1962 Dodgers, 163 G, 711 PA, 27 HR, 153 RBI, .346 BA, .374 OBP, .535 SLG, 148 OPS+, 510 BR, 25.7 BRS% vs. 14.6 NL avg
Low 55-Aaron
Judge 2019 Yankees, 102 G, 447 PA, 27 HR, 55 RBI, .272 BA, .381 OBP,
.540 SLG, 143 OPS+, 249 BR, 11.2 BRS% vs. 14.8 AL avg
Dodgers
left fielder Tommy Davis enjoyed a career-year in 1962, leading the NL
with 230 hits, 153 RBI, and a .346 batting average. Hitting cleanup in
Los Angeles’ lineup, Davis benefited from digging in with a senior
circuit-high 510 men on base but did a phenomenal job driving those
runners in, assembling a NL-best BRS% of 25.7. His timely-hitting
played a critical role in the 102-win Dodgers finishing a close second
in the pennant race. Davis’ 153 RBI stands out as the top figure
produced over a 48-year-period from 1950 to 1997. What’s more, he
achieved his lofty RBI total during a pitcher-friendly era. In fact,
aside from Roger Maris’ uncontested 61 home run-1961 campaign, Davis is
the only player between 1951 and 1976 to establish the leading RBI total
for a long ball number.
With his 2019
combination of 27 round-trippers and 55 RBI, Yankees outfielder Aaron
Judge furnishes the lowest RBI figure for a second long ball number,
having also brought up the rear among 37-home run campaigners when he
drove in 75 runs in 2023. While 2023 witnessed the 82-80 Bronx Bombers
battle just to post a winning record, the 2019 edition of the club
racked up 103 victories, en route to capturing the AL East crown. Yet,
Judge’s 2019 season shared some unfortunate similarities to 2023 as
injuries limited him to 102 games while his teammates struggled to reach
base in front of him. Like 2023, Judge primarily batted out of the
two-hole but on this occasion he bore more of the blame for his mediocre
RBI total as he produced a paltry 11.2 BRS%. Coincidentally, when
Davis put together his 27-home run effort in 1962, he did so while
boasting a BRS% that was an eye-popping 11.1% above the NL average and
essentially the same as Judge’s overall mark for 2019.
26-251 individual seasons
High 139-Hank
Greenberg 1934 Tigers, 153 G, 667 PA, 26 HR, 139 RBI, .339 BA, .404
OBP, .600 SLG, 156 OPS+, 524 BR, 21.2 BRS% vs. 16.3 AL avg
Low 54-Ron
Gant 2000 Phillies/Angels, 123 G, 487 PA, 26 HR, 54 RBI, .249 BA, .335
OBP, .492 SLG, 106 OPS+, 281 BR, 10.7 BRS% vs. 15.4 MLB avg
Low 54-Joc
Pederson 2015 Dodgers, 151 G, 585 PA, 26 HR, 54 RBI, .210 BA, .346 OBP,
.417 SLG, 113 OPS+, 286 BRS, 9.8 BRS% vs. 14.0 NL avg
The
1934 campaign saw Tigers first baseman Hank Greenberg claim the top
spot for his third different home run number, having also led the way
for 36 and 40 long balls with a respective 168 RBI in 1935 and 184 RBI
in 1937. Greenberg’s superb 1934 predated both those campaigns as he
helped Detroit secure the AL pennant with a 26 four-bagger/139 RBI
combination. The 1934 season marked Greenberg’s second full year in the
majors. Still establishing himself, he spent much of the campaign
batting sixth in Detroit’s lineup and racked up a junior loop-leading 63
doubles.
A repeat performer on the dubious end
of the RBI spectrum, Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson brings up the rear
for his second home run number. Four years before setting the
low-water RBI mark for 36 long balls, Pederson carved out the
ground-floor figure for 26 round-trippers, driving in a mere 54 runs
during his 2015 rookie campaign. A much more carefree swinger back
then, the young slugger amassed 170 strikeouts across 585 plate
appearances, a decidedly higher total than the 111 he accrued over 514
plate appearances in 2019. Pederson’s low batting average and high
strikeout rate did not keep Los Angeles from using him as the club’s
leadoff hitter. Just as in 2019, the Dodgers captured the NL West
title, though on this occasion, Pederson bore more responsibility for
his low RBI total as he registered a single-digit BRS% for the year. The rookie represented the second player to produce the 26 long ball/54
RBI stat line as veteran left fielder Ron Gant had previously turned
the trick in 2000. Gant spent the initial four months of the 2000
season hitting out of two-hole for the Phillies before a late July trade
sent him to the Angels, for whom he mostly batted fifth. Like
Pederson, Gant struggled to drive in baserunners but improved enough
after his trade to Anaheim to avoid posting a single-digit BRS%.
25-298 individual seasons
High 137-Dale Alexander 1929 Tigers, 155 G, 701 PA, 25 HR, 137 RBI, .343 BA, .397 OBP, .580 SLG, 148 OPS+, 449 BR, 22.9 BRS% vs. 16.7 AL avg
Low 55-Michael
Toglia 2024 Rockies, 116 G, 458 PA, 25 HR, 55 RBI, .218 BA, .311 OBP,
.456 SLG, 105 OPS+, 265 BR, 11.3 BRS% vs. 14.6 NL avg
Rookie
first baseman Dale Alexander burst on the major league scene in 1929,
quickly distinguishing himself as a potent heart-of-the-order bat in the
Tigers lineup. Alexander and teammate Charlie Gehringer shared the AL
lead in both games played and hits, compiling totals of 155 and 215 in
the two categories. While Alexander’s achieving of the top RBI figure
for 25 home runs continues the ongoing theme of Live Ball Era sluggers
posting high water-marks, the presence of Michael Toglia at the back of
the pack represents the first of two appearances by a Rockies player at
the bottom of the rankings. No Rockies hitter has ever claimed the top
spot, a surprising outcome considering that sluggers such as Larry
Walker, Todd Helton, Andrés Galarraga, Dante Bichette, and Vinny
Castilla put together Live Ball Era-esque numbers while playing for
Colorado during the high-scoring late 1990s and early 2000s. In fact,
the closest a Rockies player has come to attaining the peak RBI total
was Bichette whose 122 RBI in 1998 checked up eight short of Jack
Fournier’s leading figure for 22-home run campaigners. Toglia bounced
between the five, six, and seven holes in Colorado’s batting order for a
club that lost a NL-worst 101 games. The 2024 Rockies did not feature a
single player with a .300 batting average, 30 home runs, or 100 RBI—a
far cry from the Blake Street Bombers days of the past. By establishing
a new low, Toglia saved the aforementioned Joc Pederson the indignity
of owning the nadir figure for three round-tripper numbers as Pederson’s
2018 combo of 25 long balls and 56 RBI had placed him in a five-way tie
for last.
24-324 individual seasons
High 143-Don Hurst 1932 Phillies, 150 G, 665 PA, 24 HR, 143 RBI, .339 BA, .412 OBP, .547 SLG, 144 OPS+, 492 BR, 25.4 BRS% vs. 16.1 NL avg
Low 45-Matt
Olson 2017 Athletics, 59 G, 216 PA, 24 HR, 45 RBI, .259 BA, .352 OBP,
.651 SLG, 166 OPS+, 142 BR, 14.8 BRS% vs. 14.6 AL avg
Phillies
first baseman Don Hurst reaped the benefits of stepping to the plate
with a league-high 492 baserunners, leading the senior loop with 143
RBI. Only the slightly-more Herculean 26.5 BRS% of Dodgers right
fielder Hack Wilson kept Hurst from notching the highest figure at
25.4%. Hurst’s sterling 1932 effort coincided with teammate Chuck
Klein’s MVP-winning campaign in which he set the top RBI mark for
players with 38 home runs. Klein racked up 137 RBI, a total that only
trailed the 143 of Hurst. Another Phillies hitter, Pinky Whitney,
slotted third in the NL with 124 RBI. The trio of Hurst, Klein, and
Whitney helped Philadelphia squeak into the first division, edging out
the Braves for fourth place by a single game with a 78-76 record. This
proved to be one of the few bright spots in a bleak era for the Phillies
as it represented the franchise’s only winning season between 1918 and
1948.
Shuttled back and forth between Triple A
and the majors during the opening months of 2017, Athletics rookie first
baseman Matt Olson socked home runs at a blistering pace upon being
recalled to Oakland in early August. Following his August recall, Olson
went deep 20 times across 156 plate appearances to finish the year with
24 long balls and 45 RBI in just 59 games. Olson’s late-season tear
resulted in the odd pitfall of posting the lowest RBI total for players
with 24 round-trippers. However, he was not an ineffective hitter with
runners on base as he logged an essentially league-average BRS% and
drove in 19 runs in his final 19 games after A’s skipper Bob Melvin
began regularly batting him in the heart of the order.
23-346 individual seasons
High 129-Bill Terry 1930 Giants, 154 G, 710 PA, 23 HR, 129 RBI, .401 BA, .452 OBP, .619 SLG, 158 OPS+, 509 BR, 20.6 BRS% vs. 18.0 NL avg
High 129-Justin Morneau 2008 Twins, 163 G, 712 PA, 23 HR, 129 RBI, .300 BA, .374 OBP, .499 SLG, 134 OPS+, 558 BR, 20.3 BRS% vs. 15.1 AL avg
Low 46-Patrick Wisdom 2023 Cubs, 97 G, 302 PA, 23 HR, 46 RBI, .205 BA, .289 OBP, .500 SLG, 112 OPS+, 231 BR, 10.4 BRS% vs. 14.7 NL avg
The
last NL player to bat .400, Giants first baseman Bill Terry put
together a banner 1930 campaign, topping the senior circuit with a .401
average. He additionally led the way in hits, accruing 254, to match
the NL record set by Phillies slugger Lefty O’Doul during the previous
season. With 129 RBI, Terry established a new high for players with 23
home runs. Seventy-eight years later, Twins first baseman Justin
Morneau created a carbon copy of Terry’s long ball and RBI numbers. Morneau benefited from stepping to the plate with 558 men on base, 74
more than the next closest AL batter. Morneau did a fine job of driving
those runners in as his 20.3 BRS% was comparable to Terry’s from
decades before, though the Twins slugger enjoyed a much healthier edge
over the league-average in the metric than his Giants counterpart.
Patrick
Wisdom admirably filled a utility role for the 2023 Cubs. While
Wisdom’s 46 RBI put him at the tail end of the line for 23-home run
hitters, he, nevertheless, provided some pop at the bottom of Chicago’s
batting order.
22-381 individual seasons
High 130-Jack
Fournier 1925 Brooklyn Robins, 145 G, 649 PA, 22 HR, 130 RBI, .350 BA,
.446 OBP, .569 SLG, 160 OPS+, 519 BR, 22.5 BRS% vs. 16.8 NL avg
Low 43-Chris
Duncan 2006 Cardinals, 90 G, 314 PA, 22 HR, 43 RBI, .293 BA, .363 OBP,
.589 SLG, 140 OPS+, 200 BR, 10.5 BRS% vs. 14.8 AL avg
Robins
first baseman Jack Fournier’s brilliant 1925 campaign saved Brooklyn
from the embarrassment of finishing in the NL cellar as the club’s 68-85
record tied the Phillies for sixth and put them a half-game ahead of
the last-place Cubs. The Dodgers offense scored at a roughly
league-average rate but struggled on the pitching end. Fournier hit
cleanup in Brooklyn’s order and racked up 130 RBI while digging in with
519 runners on base over the course of the season. This number only
trailed the 520 of teammate Eddie Brown who normally batted directly
behind Fournier and benefited from opportunities created by the .350
hitter as he accrued a career-high 99 RBI despite going deep a mere
handful of times. Six years later, Al Simmons challenged Fournier’s RBI
total for 22-home run campaigners, checking up two shy of the Robins
slugger while winning the AL batting crown with a sizzling .390 average. The eventual RBI leader for players with 35 and 34 long balls, Simmons
just missed out on being the top producer for a third number.
Recalled
to St. Louis in late May, rookie outfielder Chris Duncan hit 22
round-trippers and drove in 43 runs across 90 games for the 2006 World
Series champion Cardinals. Mostly sat against left-handers, Duncan only
made 314 plate appearances, the majority of which came as a two-hole
hitter. Part of a baseball family, Duncan shared the Redbirds clubhouse
with his father Dave who was serving as the team’s pitching coach. A
former catcher who played at the big league level for 11 seasons, the
elder Duncan manufactured some of his own unique long ball/RBI figures
including a five/11 combo in 1967, a 10/29 one in 1970, and a 17/43 line
in 1973. Chris’ brother, Shelley, carried on the family tradition,
making his MLB debut for the 2007 Yankees and putting together a seven
home run/17 RBI combo.
21-424 individual seasons
High 136-George Kelly 1924 Giants, 144 G, 627 PA, 21 HR, 136 RBI, .324 BA, .371 OBP, .531 SLG, 141 OPS+, 482 BR, 25.3 BRS% vs. 16.3 NL avg
Low 40-Joey Gallo 2023 Twins, 111 G, 332 PA, 21 HR, 40 RBI, .177 BA, .301 OBP, .440 SLG, 100 OPS+, 197 BR, 9.6 BRS% vs. 14.3 AL avg
George
“High Pockets” Kelly topped the senior circuit with 136 RBI, in the
process playing a vital role in the Giants’ securing of the 1924 NL
pennant. Perhaps Kelly’s contributions to his club’s first-place finish
left a lasting impression on teammates Frankie Frisch and Bill Terry as
the pair were part of the 12-member Veterans Committee that voted Kelly
into the Hall of Fame roughly five decades later. While Kelly is
widely viewed as a marginal Hall of Fame selection, he did possess the
ability to drive in runs as evidenced by his NL-best 25.3 BRS% from 1924
and his impressive career mark of 20.0.
The
2023 campaign witnessed Joey Gallo earn the dubious distinction of
establishing the low RBI total for a third home run number. Joining
Minnesota as a free agent, Gallo spent the year bouncing between first
base and left field while seeing the bulk of his plate appearances come
out of the seven and eight spots in the lineup. Gallo’s regular season
ended prematurely when he suffered a foot injury on September 5. Although he healed in time to join the AL Central-winning Twins for the
postseason, he was left off the playoff roster. Gallo concluded the
campaign with 21 long balls, 40 RBI, and a .177 batting average while
striking out 142 times in 332 plate appearances. The free-swinging
slugger’s alarming 42.8% strikeout rate was even higher than the
respective 36.8% and 34.6% he posted in 2017 and 2021 while producing
the low RBI totals for home run numbers 41 and 38.
20-455 individual seasons
High 135-Dale Alexander 1930 Tigers, 154 G, 660 PA, 20 HR, 135 RBI, .326 BA, .372 OBP, .507 SLG, 118 OPS+, 457 BR, 24.1 BRS% vs. 17.9 AL avg
Low 40-Chris Hoiles 1992 Orioles, 96 G, 371 PA, 20 HR, 40 RBI, .274 BA, .384 OBP, .506 SLG, 147 OPS+, 226 BR, 8.9 BRS% vs. 14.4 AL avg
Tigers
first baseman Dale Alexander avoided the “sophomore jinx” and followed
up his terrific rookie campaign with an impressive 1930 effort, chalking
up a .326 batting average while hitting 20 long balls and knocking in
135 runs.
Orioles catcher Chris Holies posted
the low-water mark during 1992, collecting a mere 40 RBI to go along
with his 20 round-trippers. Hoiles missed nearly two months of the
season with injury. Normally slotted between the six, seven, or
eight-spots in Baltimore’s order, he did most of his damage with the
bases clear as 17 of his 20 four-baggers were solo shots. However, he
completely reversed course the following year, nearly doubling his BRS%
from a feeble 8.9 to a solid 17.6 while racking up 82 RBI alongside 29
home runs—with only 15 being of the solo variety.
19-413 individual seasons
High 146-Ed Delahanty 1893 Phillies, 132 G, 652 PA, 19 HR, 146 RBI, .368 BA, .423 OBP, .583 SLG, 164 OPS+
Modern Era High 139-Harry Heilmann 1921 Tigers, 149 G, 672 PA, 19 HR, 139 RBI, .394 BA, .444 OBP, .606 SLG, 167 OPS+, 473 BR, 24.3 BRS% vs. 16.7 AL avg
Low 32-Byron Buxton 2021 Twins, 61 G, 254 PA, 19 HR, 32 RBI, .306 BA, .358 OBP, .647 SLG, 171 OPS+, 124 BR, 11.3 BRS% vs. 14.7 AL avg
Pacing
the senior loop with 19 long balls, 146 RBI, and a .583 slugging
percentage, Phillies left fielder Ed Delahanty enjoyed a banner 1893
campaign. NL scoring reached its highest levels during the 1890s as
teams averaged a mind-numbing 6.57 runs per game in 1893 with
Philadelphia ranking second among the 12 clubs with 7.60.
Tigers
right fielder Harry Heilmann established the Modern Era high in 1921,
driving in 139 runs to go along with his 19 round-trippers. Heilmann
led the AL with 237 hits and notched a dazzling .394 average to capture
his first of four batting crowns. Heilmann nearly topped the junior
circuit in BRS% as his 24.3 mark checked in just a fraction behind the
24.6 clip of teammate Bobby Veach.
One year
before registering the bottom-feeding RBI total for 28 long balls, Twins
center fielder Byron Buxton cemented the ground-floor figure for 19
four-baggers, accumulating a mere 32 RBI during the 2021 season despite
batting .306 and posting an illustrious OPS+ of 171. The oft-injured
Buxton missed significant chunks of time, playing in only 61 games. Similar to 2022, Buxton’s RBI opportunities were hindered by his
placement in Minnesota’s batting order as roughly 70% of his plate
appearances came as the leadoff or two-hole hitter. When given the
chance to bat in the heart of the order he produced, hitting seven long
balls and racking up 14 RBI across 71 plate appearances. Yet, Buxton
was not alone in his struggles as he was among the eight players who
established or matched the low RBI total for a home run number of four
or higher during the 2021 campaign, the most of any one season.
18-519 individual seasons
High 165-Sam Thompson 1895 Phillies, 119 G, 576 PA, 18 HR, 165 RBI, .392 BA, .430 OBP, .654 SLG, 176 OPS+
Modern Era High 138-Joe Medwick 1936 Cardinals, 155 G, 677 PA, 18 HR, 138 RBI, .351 BA, .387 OBP, .577 SLG, 158 OPS+, 478 BR, 26.2 BRS% vs. 15.7 AL avg
Low 36-Russell
Branyan 2006 Devil Rays/Padres, 91 G, 282 PA, 18 HR, 36 RBI, .228 BA,
.327 OBP, .498 SLG, 113 OPS+, 168 BR, 10.7 BRS% vs. 15.1 MLB avg
Two
seasons after Ed Delahanty amassed the top RBI mark for 19
round-trippers, his teammate who patrolled the right side of the
Phillies outfield got into the act as Sam Thompson stood atop the NL
leaderboard in the same three categories with 18 home runs, 165 RBI, and
a .654 slugging percentage. With Thompson firing on all cylinders,
Philadelphia’s offense averaged a senior circuit-best 8.03 runs per
game.
Cardinals left fielder Joe Medwick
produced the peak Modern Era figure with an 18 long ball/138 RBI combo
in 1936. A prelude to his sensational 1937 campaign in which he won the
NL MVP and Triple Crown, Medwick’s 138 RBI topped the circuit as did
his 223 hits. He also established a senior-loop record by drilling 64
doubles. Medwick’s RBI total actually ranked third overall among
players with 18 four-baggers as center fielder Hugh Duffy racked up 145
during 1894 for the Boston franchise presently known as the Atlanta
Braves. Duffy’s phenomenal 1894 season saw him set a NL record by
batting .440.
Bringing up the rear for 18 home
runs is Russell Branyan, who reached the number while compiling a mere
36 RBI in 2006. A free-swinging slugger, Branyan played for 10 different
teams during his 14-year career, often fulfilling a utility role. He
began 2006 playing right field with the Devil Rays before moving to
third base after a late-August trade to the Padres. Branyan split the
bulk of his plate appearances between the five and seven holes. He
rarely went deep with runners on base as 15 of his 18 long balls were of
the solo variety.
17-548 individual seasons
High 134-Moose
Solters 1936 Browns, 152 G, 676 PA, 17 HR, 134 RBI, .291 BA, .336 OBP,
.467 SLG, 95 OPS+, 547 BR, 20.7 BRS% vs. 17.2 AL avg
Low 31-Scott
Hairston 2008 Padres, 112 G, 362 PA, 17 HR, 31 RBI, .248 BA, .312 OBP,
.479 SLG, 117 OPS+, 165 BR, 9.1 BRS% vs. 14.3 NL avg
A
moderate power-hitter, left fielder Moose Solters was much more likely
to smack a double than go deep, as evidenced by the 45 two-baggers and
17 round-trippers he accrued while racking up 134 RBI for the 1936
Browns. However, he rarely took walks and thus maintained a pedestrian
.339 OBP that put him south of the .363 league norm. This lack of
patience at the plate dragged his OPS+ down to 95—making him one of just
two players to post a below-league average figure in the metric while
producing the peak RBI total for a home run number. Browns skipper
Rogers Hornsby batted Solters third, behind a pair of patient hitters in
Lyn Lary and Harlond Clift who logged respective OBP marks of .404 and
.424. Although St. Louis toiled to a 57-95 record and seventh-place
finish, Solters benefited from Lary’s and Clift’s ability to draw free
passes as he stepped into the batter’s box with 547 men on base—a total
that only trailed the 594 of White Sox slugger Zeke Bonura.
Scott
Hairston spent 2008 in a platoon outfielder role for the 63-win,
last-place Padres, splitting time between left field and center field
while also being used as a pinch-hitter. Roughly half of Hairston’s
plate appearances came out of the leadoff spot where he hit 12 of his 17
long balls. He struggled mightily as a pinch-hitter though, failing to
drive in a single run in 30 plate appearances while batting an anemic
.120. A thumb injury brought a premature end to Hairston’s season in
late August. Interesting to note the contrast between Solters’ and
Hairston’s 17-home run campaigns. Solters boasts significant advantages
in batting average, RBI, and BRS% yet trails Hairston in OPS+ by 22
points.
16-625 individual seasons
High 152-Hardy Richardson 1890 Boston Reds, 133 G, 622 PA, 16 HR, 152 RBI, .328 BA, .384 OBP, .511 SLG, 134 OPS+
Modern Era High 132-Irish Meusel 1922 Giants, 154 G, 676 PA, 16 HR, 132 RBI, .331 BA, .369 OBP, .509 SLG, 122 OPS+, 533 BR, 23.3 BRS% vs. 16.9 NL avg
Low 31-Franmil
Reyes 2018 Padres, 87 G, 285 PA, 16 HR, 31 RBI, .280 BA, .340 OBP, .498
SLG, 131 OPS+, 137 BR, 11.7 BRS% vs. 13.9 NL avg
Left
fielder Hardy Richardson scorched opposing pitching during the Players
League’s sole year of existence. Richardson ignited the potent Boston
Reds offense, leading the circuit in both round-trippers and RBI, en
route to helping the club claim the pennant with an 81-48 record.
Irish
Meusel set the Modern Era RBI mark for 16-home run seasons, racking up
132 for the 1922 Giants. Like Richardson, Meusel played left field and
was instrumental in his team’s capturing of the pennant. Meusel also
chipped in an additional seven RBI during the World Series as the Giants
defeated the Yankees in five games. Current records list Meusel and
Cardinals second baseman Rogers Hornsby as each stepping to the plate
with a senior loop-high 533 runners on base. Hornsby earned the NL
Triple Crown, leading the way with 42 home runs, 152 RBI, and a .401
batting average. Meusel’s 132 RBI ranked second to Hornsby who owned a
26-long ball edge over the Giants left fielder. Yet, Meusel was the
more successful of the pair when it came to driving in baserunners,
registering a NL-best 23.3 BRS% compared to Hornsby’s 21.0 mark.
A
mid-May call-up, right fielder Franmil Reyes put together a strong
rookie effort for the 66-win, last-place 2018 Padres. Reyes batted up
and down San Diego’s lineup, making at least 21 plate appearances in
each spot between the two and the seven-holes in the order. The
punchless Padres offense struggled to generate RBI opportunities for the
freshman slugger, though he rarely took advantage of the ones provided
to him as he hit much better with the bases empty.
15-679 individual seasons
High 120-Harry Heilmann 1929 Tigers, 125 G, 519 PA, 15 HR, 120 RBI, .344 BA, .412 OBP, .565 SLG, 149 OPS+, 376 BR, 25.8 BRS% vs. 16.7 AL avg
Low 31-Daryl
Boston 1988 White Sox, 105 G, 305 PA, 15 HR, 31 RBI, .217 BA, .271 OBP,
.434 SLG, 95 OPS+, 164 BR, 11.0 BRS% vs. 14.6 AL avg
The
1929 season witnessed Tigers right fielder Harry Heilmann accrue the
top RBI total for 15 round-trippers as his rookie teammate Dale
Alexander established the high-water mark for 25-home run campaigners. Yet, the pair’s dynamic hitting was not enough to propel Detroit into
contention as the club labored to a 70-84 record. Nevertheless,
Heilmann paced the AL with a sizzling 25.8 BRS%. This kind of
production was not uncommon for Heilmann who consistently posted
impressive BRS% figures throughout his career, as evidenced by the 22.0%
he averaged during his 17 years in MLB.
Outfielder
Daryl Boston registered the bottom-feeding RBI total for the 71-win
1988 White Sox. Boston rarely drew starts against left-handed hurlers
and saw the majority of his plate appearances split between batting out
of the six-hole or leadoff. On the limited number of occasions his name
was written into the heart of the order, Boston floundered, hitting
just a single home run and collecting a pair of RBI while compiling an
atrocious .098 average across 70 plate appearances.
14-773 individual seasons
High 125-Nap Lajoie 1901 Athletics, 131 G, 582 PA, 14 HR, 125 RBI, .426 BA, .463 OBP, .643 SLG, 198 OPS+
*1912-or-Later High-Harry Heilmann 1927 Tigers, 141 G, 596 PA, 14 HR, 120 RBI, .398 BA, .475 OBP, .616 SLG, 180 OPS+, 382 BR, 24.6 BRS% vs. 16.7% AL avg
Low 25-Bill
Schroeder 1984 Brewers, 61 G, 226 PA, 14 HR, 25 RBI, .257 BA, .288 OBP,
.486 SLG, 114 OPS+, 144 BR, 7.6 BRS% vs. 14.7 AL avg
Low 25-Ryan Schimpf 2017 Padres, 53 G, 197 PA, 14 HR, 25 RBI, .158 BA, .284 OBP, .424 SLG, 86 OPS+, 94 BR, 11.7 BRS% vs. 14.4 NL avg
Athletics
second baseman Nap Lajoie enjoyed a banner 1901 campaign, feasting on
AL pitching during the inaugural season of the junior circuit as he won
the Triple Crown by leading the way with 14 home runs, 125 RBI, and a
.426 batting average. Lajoie established the peak RBI mark for players
with 14 long balls, besting the 1887 figure of St. Louis Browns left
fielder Tip O’Neill. Like Lajoie, O’Neill captured the Triple Crown,
producing a similar stat line of 14 round-trippers, 123 RBI, and a .435
batting average. However, while Lajoie’s A’s could only muster a
fourth-place finish, O’Neill’s Browns claimed the American Association
pennant. Because BRS% data is not available before 1912, I also
included Harry Heilmann’s 120-RBI 1927 campaign which ranked third
overall behind Lajoie and O’Neill. Heilmann posted his customarily-high
24.6 BRS% while securing his last of four batting titles, topping the
AL with a .398 average.
Brewers backup catcher
Bill Schroeder and Padres third baseman Ryan Schimpf share the ground
floor level, registering identical 14 home run/25 RBI combos. Schroeder
provided some pop off the bench for a listless Milwaukee club that
logged an AL-worst 67-94 record for 1984. Schroeder saw the bulk of his
plate appearances come out of the eight-hole. And, as a result, he
rarely went deep with runners on base as all but one of his 14
four-baggers were solo shots. In contrast to Schroeder, Schimpf was
given both a starting role and regular at bats in the heart of the order
to open the 2017 campaign. Schimpf smashed home runs with regularity
but outside of hitting the long ball, seldom found another way to
produce as his batting average lingered well-below the Mendoza line. Finally, in mid-June, San Diego decided to demote the slugger to Triple
A where he spent the remainder of the season. The presence of Schimpf
marks the fourth of the last five home run numbers which have seen a
Padres player from between 2006 to 2018 appear at the bottom of the RBI
rundown.
13-814 individual seasons
High 149-Sam Thompson 1894 Phillies, 102 G, 502 PA, 13 HR, 149 RBI, .415 BA, .466 OBP, .696 SLG, 182 OPS+
Modern Era High 134-Harry Heilmann 1925 Tigers, 150 G, 665 PA, 13 HR, 134 RBI, .393 BA, .457 OBP, .569 SLG, 161 OPS+, 451 BR, 20.8 BRS% vs. 16.9 AL avg
Modern Era High 134-Kiki Cuyler 1930 Cubs, 156 G, 741 PA, 13 HR, 134 RBI, .355 BA, .428 OBP, .547 SLG, 133 OPS+, 546 BR, 22.9 BRS% vs. 18.0 NL avg
*Low 24-Ellis Burks 1994 Rockies, 42 G, 165 PA, 13 HR, 24 RBI, .322 BA, .388 OBP, .678 SLG, 154 OPS+, 102 BR, 11.8 BRS% vs. 14.9 BRS
*Low 25-Brad
Miller 2019 Indians/Phillies, 79 G, 170 PA, 13 HR, 25 RBI, .260 BA,
.329 OBP, .565 SLG, 126 OPS+, 97 BR, 12.4 BRS% vs. 14.8 MLB avg
A
year prior to registering the top RBI figure for players with 18
round-trippers, Phillies right fielder Sam Thompson accomplished the
feat for 13-home run campaigners. In addition to establishing the
benchmark with 149 RBI, Thompson’s total also led the NL as did his .696
slugging percentage and 182 OPS+. Batting .415, Thompson easily
cleared the .400-plateau but his lofty figure was only good enough to
rank third as Braves slugger Hugh Duffy set the senior circuit record
with a .440 average while Thompson’s teammate Tuck Turner occupied the
runner-up spot at .418. Slotting directly behind Thompson were two more
of his Philadelphia colleagues as Ed Delahanty hit .405 and Billy
Hamilton chipped in a .403 average. This marked the only time that four
teammates hit .400 during the same season. Yet, even with a quartet of
.400 hitters, the Phillies managed just a 71-57 record and fourth-place
finish.
A pair of right fielders attained the
top Modern Era RBI total for 13 round-trippers as Harry Heilmann and
Kiki Cuyler respectively turned the trick with 134 each for the 1925
Tigers and 1930 Cubs. Despite posting a 20.8 BRS% that was a touch
below his superb 22.0 career-norm, Heilmann led the AL in RBI for the
only time in his career. Heilmann captured his third batting title,
hitting a cool .393 while nearly reaching the .400-plateau for a second
time, having achieved the feat two years earlier when he stood atop the
junior loop with a .403 average. Cuyler’s 134 RBI effort coincided with
teammate Hack Wilson’s establishing of the MLB record with 191 RBI. Cuyler batted third in Chicago’s order and helped set the table for
Wilson at cleanup.
Rockies center fielder Ellis
Burks registered the bottom-feeding RBI total. However, because Burks
manufactured the figure during the strike-shortened 1994 season, I also
included the next-lowest total, which was produced by Brad Miller in
2019. On top of having the strike abbreviate Burks’ campaign, the
slugger missed two and a half months due to injury. Burks mostly batted
out of the six-hole but also drew a share of his plate appearances in
the three and five spots. He hit much better with the bases empty as 11
of his 13 long balls were solo shots.
Miller
spent time with four franchises during 2019. He attended spring
training with the Dodgers but failed to make the team. He then signed
on with the Indians to fill in for injured second baseman Jason Kipnis. Upon Kipnis’ return, Cleveland designated Miller for assignment on
April 15. Electing free agency, he agreed to a minor league contract
with the Yankees. He played well enough for New York’s Triple-A
affiliate to get picked up by the Phillies in mid-June. Miller spent
the remainder of the year substituting when needed at third base and
left field. In addition to fulfilling a utility role, he bounced up and
down the order, splitting time between the cleanup through the
eight-spot while also making a number of pinch-hitting appearances out
of the nine-hole.
12-974 individual seasons
High 138-Zeke Bonura 1936 White Sox, 148 G, 688 PA, 12 HR, 138 RBI, .330 BA, .426 OBP, .482 SLG, 121 OPS+, 594 BR, 21.9 BRS% vs. 17.2 AL avg
Low 20-Russell
Branyan 2008 Brewers, 50 G, 152 PA, 12 HR, 20 RBI, .250 BA, .342 OBP,
.583 SLG, 140 OPS+, 78 BR, 10.3 BRS% vs. 14.3 NL avg
White
Sox first baseman Zeke Bonura produced the top RBI total for players
with a dozen round-trippers during the same 1936 season in which Browns
left fielder Moose Solters established the peak mark for 17-home run
campaigners. Like Solters, Bonura benefited from batting behind patient
hitters. Bonura stepped to the plate with a league-high 594
baserunners, compared to Solter’s runner-up number of 547. However,
Bonura did a slightly better job at bringing runners home, edging
Solters with respective totals of 138 RBI and a 21.9 BRS% compared to
the Browns slugger’s 134 and 20.7% figures. Bonura also gave the
batters behind him more RBI opportunities as he chalked up a .426 OBP
while Solters only reached base at a .336 clip.
Two
seasons after cementing the ground level RBI total for players with 18
long balls, Russell Branyan constructed the bottom figure for 12
four-baggers. Branyan signed with the Brewers prior to the 2008
campaign, a team the well-traveled slugger had previously played for in
2004 and 2005. Failing to make the club out of spring training, he
spent a month and a half in Triple A before earning the call-up to
Milwaukee in late May. From there, Branyan platooned with Bill Hall at
third base and primarily batted out of the six-spot before suffering a
right oblique strain in early August. Sidelined until the final week of
September, upon his return, he was limited to a pair of pinch-hitting
appearances and was not included on Milwaukee’s postseason roster.
11-997 individual seasons
High 129-Hugh Duffy 1897 Boston, 134 G, 621 PA, 11 HR, 129 RBI, .340 BA, .403 OBP, .482 SLG, 128 OPS+
Modern Era High 127-Charlie Gehringer 1934 Tigers, 154 G, 708 PA, 11 HR, 127 RBI, .356 BA, .450 OBP, .517 SLG, 149 OPS+, 549 BR, 21.7 BRS% vs. 16.3 AL avg
Low 18-Wayne Gross 1985 Orioles, 103 G, 264 PA, 11 HR, 18 RBI, .235 BA, .369 OBP, .424 SLG, 120 OPS+, 140 BR, 5.7 BRS% vs. 15.1 AL avg
Simultaneously
leading the senior circuit with 11 home runs while establishing the
peak RBI figure for the number, left fielder Hugh Duffy played a vital
role in Boston’s securing of the 1897 NL pennant. Duffy’s 129 RBI
slotted third in the loop, a half-dozen behind leader George Davis of
the Giants and three behind teammate Jimmy Collins who accumulated the
top RBI total for players with six long balls. Tigers second baseman
Charlie Gehringer checked up two RBI shy of Duffy and carved out the
peak Modern Era mark for 11-home run campaigners. Like Duffy, Gehringer
helped his club capture a first-place finish while also having a
teammate produce the high RBI figure for a round-tripper number as Hank
Greenberg put together a 26/139 combo.
Third
baseman Wayne Gross registered the bottom-feeding total, manufacturing a
bizarre-looking 11 home run/18 RBI stat line for the 1985 Orioles. Gross began the 1985 season platooned at hot corner with Fritz
Connally, drawing most of his starts versus right-handed hurlers while
being sat against southpaws. In early July, Floyd Rayford took over
Connally’s spot in the platoon and soon drew most of the starts at third
as Gross found himself largely relegated to pinch-hitting duties over
the final months. He saw the highest percentage of his plate
appearances come out the seven-spot distantly followed by the two and
eight-holes. Thus, he did not have a large number of opportunities with
runners on base when he stepped into the batter’s box. However, he did
not help his own cause as he recorded an abysmal BRS% of 5.7 with nine
of his 11 home runs coming with the bases empty.
10-1,085 individual seasons
High 166-Sam Thompson 1887 Detroit Wolverines, 127 G, 586 PA, 10 HR, 166 RBI, .372 BA, .416 OBP, .565 SLG, 166 OPS+
Modern Era High 130-Home Run Baker 1912 Athletics, 149 G, 648 PA, 10 HR, 130 RBI, .347 BA, .404 OBP, .541 SLG, 174 OPS+, 526 BR, 26.1 BRS% vs. 16.6 AL avg
Low 14-Mike Trout 2024 Angels, 29 G, 126 PA, 10 HR, 14 RBI, .220 BA, .325 OBP, .541 SLG, 140 OPS+, 75 BR, 5.3 BRS% vs. 14.1 AL avg
Sam
Thompson’s banner 1887 campaign marked the first of three times in
which the right fielder amassed the highest RBI total for a home run
number. In addition to pacing the senior loop in RBI, batting average,
and slugging percentage, he also led the way with 203 hits and 23
triples. Thompson played a vital role in the Detroit Wolverines’
capturing of the NL pennant. The Wolverines then took on the American
Association champion St. Louis Browns in an extended 15-game postseason
series and came out on top, 10-5.
Athletics
third baseman Home Run Baker lived up to his nickname, standing atop the
1912 AL with 10 long balls and 130 RBI. However, while Baker’s 130
ranks as the highest Modern Era total, it slots fifth overall behind a
further three nineteenth-century sluggers in Cap Anson, George Davis,
and Joe Kelley. Anson and Davis respectively led the NL in RBI with 147
in 1886 and 135 in 1897 while Kelley accumulated a personal best 134 in
1895. Baker dug into the batter’s box with an AL-high 526 men on base
and did an excellent job of driving those runners in as his 26.1 BRS%
checked in just a tick behind Nap Lajoie’s leading 26.2 figure.
Limited
to a mere 29 games, power-hitting Angels center fielder Mike Trout
registered the lowest RBI total for any double-digit long ball campaign,
ending 2024 with an awkward 10 home run/14 RBI combination. Plagued by
injuries in recent years, Trout didn’t even manage to make it through
April before he was sidelined for the remainder of the season by a torn
meniscus in his left knee. When the injury occurred, he had already
racked up 10 round-trippers and shared the AL lead with Orioles
shortstop Gunnar Henderson. However, all but two of Trout’s homers were
of the solo variety as opposing pitchers had become accustomed to
rarely challenging the former three-time AL MVP with men on base. That
being said, he rarely found ways to bring runners home outside of
hitting the long ball as evidenced by his uncharacteristically-poor .220
batting average and woeful 5.3 BRS%. As in previous years, being one
of the few bright spots in a punchless Halos lineup did not help his
cause. During his abbreviated 2024, Trout opened the campaign batting
out of the three-hole before splitting the second-half of April between
the leadoff and the two-spot.
With his
cementing of the bottom-feeding RBI total for 10 long balls, Trout
joined Joey Gallo as the only players to exclusively hold the low mark
for three different home run numbers. An infinitely more skilled
batsman than Gallo, Trout’s pattern of missing time with injuries while
accruing lofty round-tripper figures for uncompetitive Angels teams
resulted in him earning the dubious distinction alongside the
free-swinging slugger. For their careers, Trout has maintained the
higher BRS% as his 16.2% clears the 14.3% MLB average and is comfortably
ahead of Gallo’s substandard 12.3%. Yet, Trout has equaled Gallo with a
trio of nadir RBI figures for the respective long ball numbers of 40,
39, and 10 while Gallo holds the dishonor for 41, 38, and 21. What’s
more, on top of owning those low-water RBI marks, Trout and Gallo have
each produced totals that rank among the bottom-five for additional home
run numbers. Currently, Trout’s respective 2017 and 2019 combos of
33/72 and 45/104 both slot fifth worst while his 41/90 line from 2015
only leads Gallo’s 80 RBI from 2017. Gallo presently holds the
third-lowest marks for both 40 and 22 round-trippers as he collected
just 92 RBI to go along with the former number in 2018 and 49 for the
latter in 2019.
by John Tuberty
Follow me on Twitter/X @BloggerTubbs
Stat
links to main players mentioned: Aaron Judge, Byron Buxton, Joc Pederson, Michael Toglia, Matt Olson, Patrick Wisdom, Joey Gallo, Mike Trout, Brandon Belt, Hank Greenberg, Justin Morneau, Edgar Martinez,
Larry Walker, Todd Helton, John Olerud, Harry Heilmann, Dale Alexander, Don Hurst
Sources:
All statistics are drawn from Baseball Reference and Stathead
Cards:
Harry Heilmann 1984 Marketcom Colon Baseball Immortals, Byron Buxton
2023 Bowman, Tommy Davis 1963 Topps, Aaron Judge 2022 Topps Gallery,
George Kelly 1977 Galasso Glossy Greats, Joey Gallo 2023 Topps Series 2,
Harry Heilmann 1960 Fleer Baseball Greats, Daryl Boston 1989 Topps
Tiffany, Sam Thompson 2012 Goodwin Champions, Mike Trout 2024 Topps
Brooklyn Collection, Lou Gehrig 2010 Topps Update Vintage Legends
Collection, Barry Bonds 2004 Topps, Kyle Schwarber 2024 Topps Archives,
Kyle Freeland 2019 Bowman, Mudcat Grant 1972 Topps, Don Mattingly 1989
Topps
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