List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_with_a_home_run_in_their_final_major_league_at_bat

List of Major League Baseball players with a home run in their final major league at bat

List of Major League Baseball players with a home run in their final major league at bat

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This is a list of the Major League Baseball (MLB) players who have hit a home run in their final major league at bat. The feat was first accomplished in 1890 by Buck West, and most recently by Stephen Vogt in 2022.

Ted Williams hit the 521st home run of his major-league career in his final at bat.[1]

Paul Gillespie and John Miller are the only players in MLB history to hit home runs in their first and last major-league at bats. Bobby Kielty and David Ross both hit their final home runs in a World Series game—Kielty hit his for the Boston Red Sox in the series-clinching Game 4 of the 2007 World Series, while Ross's occurred in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series and was an important contribution to ending the 108 year title drought of the Chicago Cubs. Mickey Cochrane and Ted Williams are the only players on this list who are inductees of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Players

Many players in the below list hit a home run the final time they batted in the last game of their professional career—that is, at the professional level, the player never batted again or played in another game—one notable example being Ted Williams.[2] However, circumstances may vary—for example, Mickey Cochrane homered in his final at bat (hence his inclusion in the below list) but was hit by a pitch in his final plate appearance.[3] Because pitchers bat less often than position players, especially since the introduction of the designated hitter, some pitchers in the below list played in many major-league games after their final at bat; for example, Tim Stoddard, who homered in his final at bat in June 1986, pitched in the major leagues through July 1989.[4] In other cases, a player in the below list had a very brief major-league career, but continued playing professionally at the minor-league level—one example is Chris Jelic, who played in only four major-league games, all late in the 1990 season, then continued playing professionally through 1993.[5]

Note: Baseball Almanac, the primary source for this section, lists and numbers players who have accomplished the feat during regular-season games, and provides separate commentary on players who have done so in postseason games.[6]

More information # ...

Regular season

More information No., Player ...

Source:[6]

Postseason

More information No., Player ...

Source:[6]

See also

Notes

  1. "Career total" figures refer to regular-season home runs only; home runs hit in all-star contests or postseason games are excluded.
  2. Kinsler played in 1888 regular-season games, predominantly as a second baseman—he made one appearance as a pitcher, which was the final game of his career, in which he hit a home run in his final at bat.[7][8]

References

  1. "Ted Williams Retires After 521st Home Run". Coeur d'Alene Press. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. UP. September 29, 1960. p. 4. Retrieved April 6, 2024 via newspapers.com.
  2. Updike, John (October 22, 1960). "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu". The New Yorker. Retrieved April 13, 2024 via newyorker.com.
  3. "New York Yankees 4, Detroit Tigers 3". Retrosheet. May 25, 1937. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  4. "Tim Stoddard". Retrosheet. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  5. "Ian Kinsler". Retrosheet. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  6. "Tampa Bay Rays 10, San Diego Padres 4". Retrosheet. August 12, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2024.

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