5 Greatest Designated Hitters of All-Time
Updated 4/18/2021
Major League Baseball as we know it, that is two leagues American and National, playing by the same rules with the champion from each squaring off against the other for baseball supremacy was born in 1901. Because of that these rankings only consider seasons and careers from 1901 and after. To be eligible a player has to have 1,500 career plate appearances.
If you don’t agree, leave a comment and let me know why.
- Edgar Martinez
- Age: 24 – 41
- Years: 1987 – 2004
- Teams: Seattle Mariners
- Paul Molitor
- Age: 21 – 41
- Years: 1978 – 1998
- Teams: Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins
- David Ortiz
- Age: 21 – 40
- Years: 1997 – 2016
- Teams: Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox
- Brian Downing
- Age: 22 – 41
- Years: 1973 – 1992
- Teams: Chicago White Sox, California Angels, Texas Rangers
- Edwin Encarnacion
- Age: 22 – 37
- Years: 2005 – 2020
- Teams: Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox
WAR | wRC+ | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
68.34 | 147 | 2055 | 8672 | 7213 | 1219 | 2247 | 514 | 15 | 309 | 1261 | 49 | 30 | 1283 | 1202 | .311 | .417 | .515 | .932 |
WAR | wRC+ | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
75.42 | 122 | 2683 | 12160 | 10835 | 1782 | 3319 | 605 | 114 | 234 | 1307 | 504 | 131 | 1094 | 1244 | .306 | .366 | .447 | .814 |
WAR | wRC+ | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
55.43 | 140 | 2408 | 10091 | 8640 | 1419 | 2472 | 632 | 19 | 541 | 1768 | 17 | 9 | 1319 | 1750 | .286 | .379 | .551 | .930 |
WAR | wRC+ | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
51.5 | 124 | 2344 | 9309 | 7853 | 1188 | 2099 | 360 | 28 | 275 | 1073 | 50 | 44 | 1197 | 1127 | .267 | .370 | .425 | .796 |
WAR | wRC+ | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
35.7 | 125 | 1960 | 8126 | 7040 | 1099 | 1832 | 370 | 10 | 424 | 1261 | 61 | 14 | 903 | 1426 | .260 | .350 | .496 | .846 |
David Ortiz is by far the greatest DH of all time. You’re high on crack.
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Alex, a DH also runs the bases. So Paul Molitor is light years better than Ortiz on the bases.
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4 & 5 should be Hal McRae and Harold Baines.
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