Each team's best individual performance of 2023

Each team's best individual performance of 2023

December 29th, 2023

A nine-RBI game? Thirteen strikeouts in relief? A 6-for-6 showing? It all happened in 2023, a season that saw countless memorable performances at the plate and on the mound. MLB hitters combined for nine three-homer games, and 41 different pitchers racked up 12 or more K’s in a single game -- including 's 16-strikeout outing.

But which games will be remembered for years to come? Here is each team’s best individual single-game performance of 2023, with an honorable mention listed for each club.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays:
May 12 vs. ATL (9 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K)

Facing a Braves offense that would go on to lead the Majors with 947 runs scored and tie the MLB record for homers (307) in a single season, Bassitt yielded just a pair of knocks and struck out eight in a dazzling complete-game effort. It was one of only 20 shutouts (not including shortened games) thrown across the Majors in 2023.

Honorable mention: Kevin Gausman, April 29 vs. SEA (7 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 13 K)

Orioles:
April 11 vs. OAK (3-for-4, 2 HR, 9 RBI)

With his nine-RBI eruption against the A’s in early April, Mountcastle tied a franchise record previously set by Jim Gentile in 1961 and matched by Eddie Murray in 1985. Seven of those RBIs came on a pair of clutch homers -- a three-run shot in the fifth and a grand slam in the seventh -- as the O’s came back from a four-run deficit in an eventual 12-8 win.

Honorable mention: Gunnar Henderson, Aug. 20 at OAK (4-for-5, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 2 RBI)

Rays:
Sept. 6 vs. BOS (6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 14 K)

Glasnow overpowered the Red Sox in what turned out to be one of his final home starts with the Rays before an offseason trade to the Dodgers. The right-hander struck out 14 of the 22 batters he faced in the dominant effort, tying a career high and falling one K shy of the single-game franchise record shared by Chris Archer and James Shields.

Honorable mention: Taylor Walls, April 18 at CIN (4-for-5, 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI)

Red Sox:
April 1 vs. BAL (4-for-5, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

Duvall carried the Red Sox to their first win of the season in this game against the Orioles, hitting a walk-off, two-run homer immediately after Baltimore left fielder Ryan McKenna dropped a routine fly ball that would have ended the game. Duvall finished with four extra-base hits on the day, driving in five of Boston’s nine runs in one-run victory. It marked the first time since 2012 (Carlos Beltrán) that a player had a double, a triple and multiple homers in a game.

Honorable mention: Nick Pivetta, July 17 at OAK (6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 13 K in relief)

Yankees:
Sept. 22 vs. AZ (4-for-4, 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI)

Judge needed 801 games to record his first career three-homer effort. He finally did it on Aug. 23 against the Nationals, going 3-for-4 with six RBIs in a 9-1 win. One month later, he notched his second, collecting four hits altogether and driving in six of New York’s seven runs in a win over the eventual NL champions.

Honorable mention: Domingo Germán, June 18 at OAK (9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K -- perfect game)

AL CENTRAL

Guardians:
May 31 at BAL (4-for-5, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI)

Naylor played a key role in the Guardians’ come-from-behind win on May 31 in Baltimore, going 4-for-5 with three important extra-base hits in a span of three innings. He doubled and scored in the third inning, homered in the fourth to tie things up at 5-5 and laced a bases-clearing double to put Cleveland in front for good in the fifth. Naylor added a seventh-inning single to cap a stellar day.

Honorable mention: José Ramírez, June 8 vs. BOS (3-for-5, 3 HR, 5 RBI)

Royals:
July 28 vs. MIN (4-for-5, 2B, HR, 6 RBI)

Witt recorded four hits in a game four times in 2023, but his performance against the Twins in late July at Kauffman Stadium was certainly his most impactful. After having a two-run home run against Sonny Gray overturned to a double on review, Witt left no doubt with a walk-off grand slam off Jhoan Duran in the 10th inning to win it for the Royals. (He proceeded to go 4-for-5 again the following night.)

Honorable mention: Witt, May 26 vs. WSH (4-for-5, 1 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

Tigers:
May 4 vs. NYM (8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K)

Rodriguez blanked the Mets over eight innings as the Tigers finished off a three-game sweep at Comerica Park. The lefty struck out Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Tommy Pham twice each, racking up nine K’s and walking just one batter in a dominant outing. By game score (86), it was the best performance of Rodriguez’s career.

Honorable mention: Rodriguez, April 18 vs. CLE (8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K)

Twins:
July 5 vs. KC (9 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 12 K)

Acquired from the Marlins for Luis Arraez, López showed his worth in his first season with the Twins. Among his best outings were an eight-inning, 14-strikeout game in a loss to the Mets on Sept. 10 and this dominant shutout of Kansas City in July. López finished with 12 K’s -- the most in any shutout in 2023 -- as Minnesota rolled to a 5-0 win.

Honorable mention: Royce Lewis, AL Wild Card Series Game 1 vs. TOR (2-for-3, BB, 2 HR, 3 RBI)

White Sox:
May 19 vs. KC (8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K)

Kopech delivered the longest outing of his career in a dominant showing against the Royals. On May 19 at Guaranteed Rate Field, the White Sox right-hander shut out Chicago’s division rival for eight innings, allowing just one hit: a Michael Massey single in the sixth. Kopech struck out seven Kansas City starters at least once to help the South Siders to a 2-0 win in the opener of a three-game series the White Sox went on to sweep.

Honorable mention: Luis Robert Jr., April 7 at PIT (3-for-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

AL WEST

Angels:
June 27 vs. CWS (6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 10 K as pitcher, 2 HR as hitter)

There’s no doubt that Ohtani’s most impressive single day was on July 27 in Detroit, when the two-way phenom tossed a shutout in the first game of a doubleheader and crushed two home runs in the second game. But in terms of a single game, Ohtani’s June 27 performance against the White Sox was his most impressive. In front of his home crowd in Anaheim, Ohtani punched out 10 hitters while allowing one run in 6 1/3 innings on the mound while crushing two home runs at the plate. Ohtani’s dominant performance was the difference in a 4-2 Angels win.

Honorable mention: Ohtani, July 27 at DET (9 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K)

Astros:
Aug. 1 vs. CLE (9 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 7 K)

Valdez was nearly perfect in his no-hit effort vs the Guardians, issuing just one walk and becoming the first Astros pitcher to face the minimum 27 batters in a no-hitter. The left-hander punched out seven Cleveland hitters, induced 12 ground balls and only threw 93 pitches -- the third-fewest pitches in a no-hitter since pitch counts were first tracked in 1988. That this no-hitter came mere hours after the Astros re-acquired Justin Verlander made it all the more special.

Honorable mention: Jose Altuve, Sept. 5 at TEX (3-for-5, 3 HR, 3 RBI)

Athletics:
June 6 at PIT (5-for-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

A memorable year for Peterson resulted in the best game of the veteran infielder’s career and a World Series appearance after a midseason trade to the D-backs. Prior to that deal, Peterson had a huge performance in Pittsburgh by recording a hit in all five plate appearances, slugging two home runs and driving in five runs. Peterson joined Hall of Famer Al Simmons as the only players in franchise history to go 5-for-5, homer twice and drive in five runs in a single game.

Honorable mention: Jordan Diaz, May 9 at NYY (3-for-4, 3 HR, 4 RBI)

Mariners:
Aug. 17 at KC (5-for-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI)

J-Rod’s signature game came during the most dominant stretch of his young career. Seattle’s superstar set an AL/NL record with 17 hits in a four-game span from Aug. 16-19. In the second game of that stretch, Rodríguez had the game of his life, securing his first five-hit performance in the Majors, driving in five runs and hitting a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth inning.

Honorable mention: George Kirby, Aug. 12 vs. BAL (9 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K)

Rangers:
ALDS Game 7 at HOU (4-for-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

García put together two of the best postseason performances in MLB history en route to the Rangers’ first World Series title. While García’s walk-off home run against Arizona in Game 1 of the World Series was his top moment, his performance in Game 7 of the ALCS vs. the Rangers’ divisional and in-state rival Astros was his best. Following home runs in each of the previous three games and the drama of Game 5, García helped put the finishing touches on the Rangers’ AL pennant with four hits and two home runs in Game 7.

Honorable mention: García, April 22 vs. OAK (5-for-6, 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI)

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves:
Aug. 28 at COL (4-for-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 SB)

All of Acuña’s offensive talents were on display in this incredible all-around performance, which came just as Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts’ NL MVP campaign was starting to gain a bit of steam. From this game through the end of the regular season, Acuña hit .368 with 13 homers, 14 steals and a 1.165 OPS to secure MLB’s first 40-homer, 70-steal campaign and win NL MVP honors in unanimous fashion.

Honorable mention: Matt Olson, June 30 vs. MIA (4-for-5, 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

Marlins:
April 11 at PHI (4-for-5, 2B, 3B, HR, 2 RBI)

Arraez made it clear early on that his first season with the Marlins was going to be one to remember. The second baseman went 22-for-41 (.537 average) over his first 12 games, capped off by the first cycle in Marlins history on April 11 against the Phillies. Prior to Arraez’s banner performance, the Marlins were the last of the 30 MLB franchises without a cycle.

Honorable mention: Arraez, June 3 vs. OAK (5-for-5, 3 2B, 5 RBI)

Mets:
July 6 at AZ (5-for-5, 2 3B, HR)

Lindor’s standout showing was somewhat lost amid the Mets’ disappointing season in 2023. The veteran shortstop finished with 6.0 WAR (per Baseball-Reference) over 160 games, producing 31 homers, 31 steals and 98 RBIs while supplying superb defense. His most impressive performance of the year came in Phoenix, as he became just the seventh player in the Modern Era (since 1900) to record a homer and multiple triples in a five-hit game.

Honorable mention: Pete Alonso, Aug. 7 vs. CHC (3-for-4, 2 HR, 6 RBI)

Nationals:
May 26 at KC (6-for-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI)

Only one player had a six-hit game in 2023: García, who went 6-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored in Washington’s 12-10 win over the Royals. He became just the third player in Expos/Nationals history to tally six hits in a game, joining Rondell White (in 1995) and Anthony Rendon (in 2017).

Honorable mention: CJ Abrams, Aug. 6 at CIN (4-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 SB)

Phillies:
Aug. 9 vs. WSH (9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 5 K)

Making just his second start after being shipped from Detroit to Philadelphia at the Trade Deadline, Lorenzen forever etched his name in Phillies lore with the 14th no-hitter in franchise history. It was the team’s first no-no since Cole Hamels twirled one against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on July 25, 2015, his final start with the team before being dealt to the Rangers.

Honorable mention: Alec Bohm, July 1 vs. WSH (4-for-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI)

NL CENTRAL

Brewers:
Sept. 10 at NYY (8 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K)

In a classic duel with Gerrit Cole at Yankee Stadium, Burnes was literally unhittable through eight innings. He struck out seven Yanks and walked just two as the Brewers -- unable to score -- took a no-hit bid through 10 innings in the Bronx. The Yankees broke the spell with a double off Joel Payamps in the 11th and eventually walked off the game in the 13th, but Burnes’ performance shouldn’t be forgotten.

Honorable mention: Sal Frelick, July 22 vs. ATL (3-for-3, 2 RBI, multiple highlight-reel catches in MLB debut)

Cardinals:
May 7 vs. DET (4-for-5, 3 HR, SB)

Goldschmidt tore up the Tigers on May 7 at Busch Stadium, slugging solo homers in the first and third and a two-run shot in the eighth. He also stole third base in the sixth as part of a double steal, making him the only player in 2023 with three homers and at least one swipe. The contest was Goldschmidt’s third career three-homer game, a total surpassed by only 17 players in AL/NL history.

Honorable mention: Miles Mikolas, May 30 vs. KC (8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K)

Cubs:
May 29 vs. TB (9 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K)

The Rays came into this late May game at Wrigley Field with a 39-16 record, but they were no match for Stroman. The right-hander tossed a one-hit shutout of Tampa Bay, taking a no-no bid into the seventh inning and striking out eight Rays. Stroman’s game score of 92 is tied for the highest by a Cubs pitcher since Jake Arrieta (98) in his no-hitter against the Dodgers in 2015.

Honorable mention: Ian Happ, April 14 at LAD (4-for-4, BB, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, SB)

Pirates:
July 24 at SD (3-for-4, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, BB)

“Slamtana” powered the Pirates to an 8-4 victory over the Padres in July at Petco Park with a strong all-around game at the plate. The veteran first baseman slugged a pair of two-run homers off Yu Darvish and added a walk and a double to his productive night. Three days after his huge game, Santana was traded to the division-rival Brewers.

Honorable mention: Mitch Keller, May 8 vs. COL (9 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K)

Reds:
June 23 vs. ATL (4-for-5, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, SB)

In just his 15th career game, the electric De La Cruz hit for the Reds’ first cycle since Eric Davis in 1989. In order, the rookie infielder hit a double, a two-run homer, an RBI single and an RBI triple as Reds beat the Braves in an 11-10 classic. The game continued a red-hot start to De La Cruz’s career, as the young star was hitting .361 with a 1.074 OPS after his historic night.

Honorable mention: Andrew Abbott, July 20 vs. SF (8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K)

NL WEST

D-backs:
Sept. 8 at CHC (9 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 9 K)

In a year in which he finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting, Gallen’s signature moment came in a pivotal matchup against another NL Wild Card hopeful. With the D-backs battling the Cubs for one of the three Wild Card spots, Gallen twirled a shutout while punching out nine hitters in a 1-0 Arizona win. With just one game separating the D-backs and Cubs for the final Wild Card spot at season’s end, it’s easy to look at Gallen’s dominant performance as a separating factor for Arizona’s postseason berth and memorable run to the World Series.

Honorable mention: Christian Walker, July 18 at ATL (3-for-5, BB, 2 HR, 5 RBI, SB)

Dodgers:
April 1 vs. AZ (3 HR, 8 RBI)

In the Dodgers’ third game of the season, Thompson had a thoroughly dominant game against the division-rival D-backs. Following an impressive 2022 season with the Dodgers, Thompson started his first game on April 1 and proceeded to crush three home runs and drive in eight runs. On a team featuring star power like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Clayton Kershaw, it was Thompson who shined the brightest by becoming the third player in Dodgers history with three home runs and eight RBIs in a single game, joining Adrián González (2016) and Gil Hodges (1950).

Honorable mention: Mookie Betts, June 2 vs. NYY (4-for-4, BB, 2 HR, 3 RBI, SB)

Giants:
Aug. 29 vs. CIN (9 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 K)

The veteran right-hander was one out away from securing the 18th no-hitter in Giants history. While Cobb unfortunately became the latest pitcher to lose a no-hitter on the final out, it was nonetheless a marvelous outing and the best of Cobb’s career. Cobb tossed a career-high 131 pitches, didn’t allow his first hit or walk until the ninth inning and helped keep the Giants in the playoff mix against another NL Wild Card hopeful.

Honorable mention: Logan Webb, July 9 vs. COL (9 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K)

Padres:
June 14 vs. CLE (3-for-4, BB, 2 2B, HR, 2 SB, OF assist)

Tatis is one of baseball’s most electric all-around players, and that skill set was on full display in San Diego on June 14. Tatis became the first AL/NL player in the Modern Era (since 1900) with a home run, three extra-base hits, two runs scored, two stolen bases, a walk and an outfield assist in the same game. The five-tool superstar started his game with a solo home run and ended it with an outfield assist in the ninth inning.

Honorable mention: Seth Lugo, Sept. 26 at SF (8.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K)

Rockies:
March 30 at SD (4-for-5, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

Cron wasted no time in producing the Rockies’ best individual performance of 2023. On Opening Day in San Diego, Cron crushed two homers, recorded four hits and drove in five runs. In the process, he became just the eighth player in AL/NL history to record that stat line on Opening Day and the first since Dmitri Young did it for the Tigers in 2005.

Honorable mention: Brenton Doyle, May 15 vs. CIN (3-for-4, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI)