Longest hitting streaks in MLB history

March 11th, 2019

Poll players, fans and media experts on what records they think will never be broken, and invariably Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak will garner plenty of mentions, right up there with Cy Young's 511 wins and Cal Ripken's ironman streak of 2,632 consecutive games played.

In 1941, DiMaggio breezed past the previous record of 45 straight games with a home run, and he then tacked on 10 more games for good measure.

In the seven-plus decades since, only one other player has even made it to 40 straight. That was Pete Rose, who hit in 44 in a row in 1978 under the glare of a national spotlight. Paul Molitor has been the closest since, with a 39-game streak in '87.

"I'm not sure the importance of the streak has set in to the degree that it eventually will," Molitor said after his was snapped. "Talking to my teammates about going six weeks without [a hitless game] ... I think that as time goes by, I'll appreciate it more and more."

Here are all of the players in big league history who avoided an 0-fer in at least 30 straight games:

• Joe DiMaggio, Yankees, 1941, 56 games Coverage >
• Willie Keeler, Orioles, 1896-97, 45 games Watch >
• Pete Rose, Reds, 1978, 44 games Watch >
• Bill Dahlen, Cubs, 1894, 42 games
• George Sisler, Browns, 1922, 41 games
• Ty Cobb, Tigers, 1911, 40 games
• Paul Molitor, Brewers, 1987, 39 games Watch >
• Jimmy Rollins, Phillies, 2005-06, 38 games Watch >
• Tommy Holmes, Braves, 1945, 37 games
• Gene DeMontreville, Senators, 1896-97, 36 games
• Chase Utley, Phillies, 2006, 35 games Watch >
• Luis Castillo, Marlins, 2002, 35 games Watch >
• George Sisler, Browns, 1924-25, 35 games
• Ty Cobb, Tigers, 1917, 35 games
• Fred Clarke, Colonels, 1895, 35 games
• Benito Santiago, Padres, 1987, 34 games Watch >
• Dom DiMaggio, Red Sox, 1949, 34 games
• George McQuinn, Browns, 1938, 34 games
• Dan Uggla, Braves, 2011, 33 games Watch >
• Heinie Manush, Senators, 1933, 33 games
• Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 1922, 33 games
• Hal Chase, Yankees, 1907, 33 games
• George Davis, Giants, 1893, 33 games
• Hal Morris, Reds, 1996-97, 32 games
• Harry Heilmann, Tigers, 1922-23, 32 games
• Vladimir Guerrero, Expos, 1999, 31 games Watch >
• Ken Landreaux, Twins, 1980, 31 games
• Ron LeFlore, Tigers, 1975-76, 31 games
• Rico Carty, Braves, 1970, 31 games
• Willie Davis, Dodgers, 1969, 31 games
• Vada Pinson, Reds, 1965-66, 31 games
• Sam Rice, Senators, 1924, 31 games
• Nap Lajoie, Naps, 1906, 31 games
• Ed Delahanty, Phillies, 1899, 31 games
• Jimmy Wolf, Colonels, 1885-86, 31 games
• Freddie Freeman, Braves, 2016, 30 games Watch >
• Andre Ethier, Dodgers, 2011, 30 games Watch >
• Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals, 2009, 30 games Watch >
• Moises Alou, Mets, 2007, 30 games Watch >
• Willy Taveras, Astros, 2006, 30 games Watch >
• Albert Pujols, Cardinals, 2003, 30 games Watch >
• Luis Gonzalez, D-backs, 1999, 30 games Watch >
• Eric Davis, Orioles, 1998, 30 games Watch >
• Nomar Garciaparra, Red Sox, 1997, 30 games Watch >
• Sandy Alomar Jr., Indians, 1997, 30 games Watch >
• Jerome Walton, Cubs, 1989, 30 games Watch >
• George Brett, Royals, 1980, 30 games
• Stan Musial, Cardinals, 1950, 30 games
• Goose Goslin, Tigers, 1934, 30 games
• Sam Rice, Senators, 1929-30, 30 games
• Lance Richbourg, Braves, 1927-28, 30 games
• Charlie Grimm, Pirates, 1922-23, 30 games
• Tris Speaker, Red Sox, 1912, 30 games
• Elmer Smith, Reds, 1898, 30 games
• Dusty Miller, Reds, 1895-96, 30 games
• Cal McVey, White Stockings, 1876, 30 game