List of Major League Baseball career games started leaders explained

In baseball statistics, a pitcher is credited with a game started (denoted by GS) if he is the first pitcher to pitch for his team in a game.

Cy Young^{[1] [2] [3]} holds the Major League Baseball games started record with 815. Young is the only pitcher in MLB history to start more than 800 career games. Nolan Ryan^[4] (773), Don Sutton^[5] (756), Greg Maddux^[6] (740), Phil Niekro^[7] (716), Steve Carlton^[8] (709), Roger Clemens^[9] (707), and Tommy John^[10] (700) are the only other pitchers to have started 700 or more games their career.

Key

Rank	Rank amongst leaders in career wins. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2024 GS)	Number of games started during the 2024 Major League Baseball season
GS	Total career games started
	Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bold	Denotes active player.^[11]

List

• Stats updated as of July 30, 2024.^[12]

Rank	Player (2024 GS)	GS
1	Cy Young	815
2	Nolan Ryan	773
3	Don Sutton	756
4	Greg Maddux	740
5	Phil Niekro	716
6	Steve Carlton	709
7		707
8	Tommy John	700
9	Gaylord Perry	690
10	Pud Galvin	688
11	Bert Blyleven	685
12	Tom Glavine	682
13	Walter Johnson	666
14	Warren Spahn	665
15	Tom Seaver	647
16	Jamie Moyer	638
17	Jim Kaat	625
18	Frank Tanana	616
19	Early Wynn	612
20	Robin Roberts	609
21	Randy Johnson	603
22	Grover Cleveland Alexander	600
23	Ferguson Jenkins	594
	Tim Keefe	594
25	Bobby Matthews	568
26	Dennis Martínez	562
27	Kid Nichols	561
28	CC Sabathia	560
29	Eppa Rixey	554
30	Bartolo Colón	552
	Christy Mathewson	552
32	Mickey Welch	549
33	Jerry Reuss	547
34	Zack Greinke (0)	541
35	Red Ruffing	538
36	Mike Mussina	536
37	Eddie Plank	529
	Rick Reuschel	529
39	Jerry Koosman	527
	Jack Morris	527
41	Jim Palmer	521
	Andy Pettitte	521
43	Jim Bunning	519
	Justin Verlander (10)	519
45	John Clarkson	518
46	Jack Powell	516
47	Gus Weyhing	505
48	Tony Mullane	504
49	Charlie Radbourn	503
50	Joe Niekro	500

Rank	Player (2024 GS)	GS
51	Bob Friend	497
	Burleigh Grimes	497
53	Mickey Lolich	496
54	Mark Buehrle	493
55	David Wells	489
56	Claude Osteen	488
57	Sad Sam Jones	487
58	Jim McCormick	485
59	Bob Feller	484
	Ted Lyons	484
	Luis Tiant	484
62	Red Faber	483
	Bobo Newsom	483
64	Bob Gibson	482
65	John Smoltz	481
66	Tim Hudson	479
67	Kevin Brown	476
	Catfish Hunter	476
69	Liván Hernández	474
	Kenny Rogers	474
71	Vida Blue	473
	Earl Whitehill	473
73	Vic Willis	471
74	Chuck Finley	467
75	Orel Hershiser	466
76	Don Drysdale	465
	Milt Pappas	465
78	Doyle Alexander	464
79	Tim Wakefield	463
80	Bob Welch	462
81	Curt Simmons	462
82	Mike Torrez	458
83	Lefty Grove	457
	Juan Marichal	457
85	Max Scherzer (8)	456
86	Rick Wise	455
87	Jon Lester	451
88	Jim Perry	447
89	John Lackey	446
90	Paul Derringer	445
91	Kevin Millwood	443
	Jack Quinn	443
	Javier Vázquez	443
94	Charlie Hough	440
	Mike Moore	440
96	Whitey Ford	438
97	Curt Schilling	436
98	Mel Harder	433
	Carl Hubbell	433
	Billy Pierce	433

External links

• Web site: Career Leaders & Records for Games Started. Baseball-Reference.com.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cy Young Career Stats. Baseball Reference. July 28, 2021.
2. Web site: Cy Young Bio. Nowlin - Southwick. Bill - David. Society For American Baseball Research. July 28, 2021.
3. Web site: Cy Young Hall of Fame Profile. National Baseball Hall of Fame. August 1, 2021.
4. Web site: Nolan Ryan Career Stats. Baseball Reference. July 28, 2021.
5. Web site: Don Sutton Career Stats. Baseball Reference. July 28, 2021.
6. Web site: Greg Maddux Career Stats. Baseball Reference. July 28, 2021.
7. Web site: Phil Niekro Career Stats. Baseball Reference. July 28, 2021.
8. Web site: Steve Carlton Career Stats. Baseball Reference. July 28, 2021.
9. Web site: Roger Clemens Career Stats. Baseball Reference. July 28, 2021.
10. Web site: Tommy John Career Stats. Baseball Reference. July 28, 2021.
11. A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.
12. https://www.mlb.com/stats/pitching/games-started/all-time-totals MLB.com – Career Leaders for Games Started