The Atlanta Braves are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Atlanta. The Braves formed in 1871 as the Boston Red Stockings. After moving in 1953 to Milwaukee for 12 years and a World Series Championship in '57, the Braves relocated to Atlanta in 1966. Through 2010, the Braves have played 20,053 games, winning 9,945, losing 9,954, and tying 154, for a winning percentage of approximately .500.[1] This list documents the superlative records and accomplishments of team members during their tenures in MLB.
Hank Aaron holds the most franchise records as of the end of the 2010 season, with ten, including most career hits, doubles, and the best career on-base plus slugging percentage. Aaron also held the career home runs record from April 8, 1974[2] until August 8, 2007.[3] He is followed by Hugh Duffy, who holds eight records, including best single-season batting average and the best single-season slugging percentage record.[4]
Four Braves players currently hold Major League Baseball records. Duffy holds the best single-season batting average record, accumulating an average of .440 in 1894.[5] Bob Horner and Bobby Lowe are tied with 16 others for the most home runs in a game, with four, which they recorded on May 30, 1890, and July 6, 1986, respectively.[6] Red Barrett, a Brave for six years, holds the record for fewest pitches by a single pitcher in a complete game, with 58, which he achieved on August 10, 1944.[7]
On September 9, 2020, the Braves scored a franchise record 29 runs in a game against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park. In the second inning, there were 11 runs scored. Adam Duval hit three home runs, including a grand slam in the seventh inning. On September 22, 2020, the Braves won their third division title in a row, making the franchise record a league-leading 20 Eastern Division titles.[8]
In the Wildcard Playoff series against the Cincinnati Reds during the 2020 postseason, the Braves and Reds played thirteen innings until Freddie Freeman singled in the winning run for the Braves.[9] During the series, the Braves set another record against the Reds. Braves pitchers held the Reds scoreless through all 22 innings of their National League Wild Card Series victory, meaning Cincinnati surpassed the 1921 Giants (20 innings) for the most consecutive scoreless innings to begin a postseason series. The Braves are also the first team to win a multi-game postseason series (excluding the Wild Card Game) without surrendering a run. The Yankees previously held the low mark after allowing just one total run to the Rangers in back-to-back three-game sweeps of the 1998 and ’99 ALDS.[10]
RBI | Run(s) batted in |
---|---|
ERA | Earned run average |
OPS | On-base percentage plus slugging percentage |
* | Tie between two or more players/teams |
§ | Major League record |
† | Hall of Fame Player |
Career batting records | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Statistic | Player | Record | Braves career | Ref |
Batting average | Billy Hamilton | .339 | 1896–1901 | [12] |
On-base percentage | Billy Hamilton | .456 | 1896–1901 | [12] |
Slugging percentage | Hank Aaron | .567 | 1954–1974 | [13] |
OPS | Hank Aaron | .944 | 1954–1974 | [13] |
Hits | Hank Aaron | 3,600 | 1954–1974 | [13] |
Total bases | Hank Aaron | 6,591 | 1954–1974 | [13] |
Singles | Hank Aaron | 2,171 | 1954–1974 | [13] |
Doubles | Hank Aaron | 600 | 1954–1974 | [13] |
Triples | Rabbit Maranville | 103 | 1912–1920 1929–1933, 1935 |
[14] |
Home runs | Hank Aaron | 733 | 1954–1974 | [13] |
RBI | Hank Aaron | 2,202 | 1954–1974 | [13] |
Bases on balls | Chipper Jones | 1,512 | 1993–2012 | [15] |
Strikeouts | Dale Murphy | 1,581 | 1976–1990 | [16] |
Stolen bases | Herman Long | 434 | 1890–1902 | [17] |
Career pitching records | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Statistic | Player | Record | Braves career | Ref |
Wins | Warren Spahn | 356 | 1942, 1946–1964 | [18] |
Losses | Phil Niekro | 230 | 1964–1983, 1987 | [19] |
Win–loss percentage | Russ Ortiz | .692 | 2003–2004 | [20] |
ERA | Tommy Bond | 2.21 | 1887–1881 | [21] |
Saves | Craig Kimbrel | 186 | 2010–2014 | [22] |
Strikeouts | John Smoltz | 3,011 | 1988–1999 2001–2008 |
[23] |
Shutouts | Warren Spahn | 63 | 1942, 1946–1964 | [18] |
Games | Phil Niekro | 740 | 1964–1983, 1987 | [19] |
Innings | Warren Spahn | 5,046.0 | 1942, 1946–1964 | [18] |
Games started | Warren Spahn | 635 | 1942, 1946–1964 | [18] |
Complete games | Kid Nichols | 476 | 1890–1901 | [24] |
Walks | Phil Niekro | 1,458 | 1964–1983, 1987 | [19] |
Hits allowed | Warren Spahn | 4,620 | 1942, 1946–1964 | [18] |
Wild pitches | Phil Niekro | 200 | 1964–1983, 1987 | [19] |
Hit batsmen | Vic Willis | 133 | 1898–1905 | [25] |
Single-season batting records | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Statistic | Player | Record | Season | Ref(s) |
Batting average | Hugh Duffy | .440§ | 1894 | [5][26] |
Home runs | Matt Olson | 54 | 2023 | [27] |
RBI | Hugh Duffy | 145 | 1894 | [26] |
Runs | Hugh Duffy | 160 | 1894 | [26] |
Hits | Hugh Duffy | 237 | 1894 | [26] |
Singles | Ralph Garr | 180 | 1971 | [28] |
Doubles | Hugh Duffy | 51 | 1894 | [26] |
Triples | Dick Johnston | 20* | 1887 | [29] |
Triples | Harry Stovey | 20* | 1891 | [30] |
Stolen bases | King Kelly | 84 | 1887 | [31] |
At bats | Marquis Grissom | 671 | 1996 | [32] |
Slugging percentage | Hugh Duffy | .694 | 1894 | [26] |
Extra-base hits | Hank Aaron | 92 | 1959 | [13] |
Total bases | Hank Aaron | 400 | 1959 | [13] |
On-base percentage | Hugh Duffy | .502 | 1894 | [26] |
OPS | Hugh Duffy | 1.196 | 1894 | [26] |
Walks | Bob Elliott | 131 | 1948 | [33] |
Strikeouts | Ronald Acuña Jr. | 188 | 2019 | [34] |
Single-season pitching records | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Statistic | Player | Record | Season | Ref(s) |
Wins | John Clarkson | 49 | 1889 | [35] |
Losses | Jim Whitney | 33 | 1881 | [36] |
Strikeouts | Charlie Buffinton | 417 | 1884 | [37] |
ERA | Greg Maddux | 1.56 | 1994 | [38] |
Earned runs allowed | Charles Radbourn | 215* | 1887 | [39] |
Earned runs allowed | Kid Nichols | 215* | 1894 | [24] |
Hits allowed | John Clarkson | 589 | 1889 | [35] |
Shutouts | Tommy Bond | 11 | 1879 | [21] |
Saves | John Smoltz | 55 | 2002 | [23] |
Games | Peter Moylan | 87 | 2009 | [40] |
Starts | John Clarkson | 72 | 1889 | [35] |
Complete games | John Clarkson | 68 | 1889 | [35] |
Innings | John Clarkson | 620.0 | 1889 | [35] |
Single-game batting records | |||
---|---|---|---|
Statistic | Player | Record | Date |
Hits | Félix Millán | 6 | July 6, 1970 |
RBI | Tony Cloninger | 9 | July 3, 1966 |
Walks | Dale Murphy | 5* | April 22, 1983 |
Walks | Dale Murphy | 5* | May 23, 1987 |
Home runs | Bobby Lowe | 4§[b] | May 30, 1894 |
Home runs | Bob Horner | 4§[b] | July 6, 1986 |
Runs | Chipper Jones | 5* | August 30, 1997 |
Runs | Chipper Jones | 5* | July 3, 2001 |
Stolen bases | Otis Nixon | 6 | June 16, 1992 |
Single-game pitching records | |||
---|---|---|---|
Statistic | Player | Record | Date |
Fewest pitches by a single pitcher in a complete game | Red Barrett | 58§ | August 10, 1944 |
Wild pitches | Phil Niekro | 6 | August 4, 1979 |
Strikeouts | Spencer Strider | 16* | September 1, 2022 |
Team season batting records | ||
---|---|---|
Statistic | Record | Season |
Home runs | 307 | 2023 |
RBI | 916 | 2023 |
Runs | 947 | 2023 |
Hits | 1,608 | 2003 |
Batting average | .284 | 2003 |
Walks | 641 | 1987 |
Extra base hits | 587 | 2003 |
Most runners left on base | 1,230 | 2004 |
Strikeouts | 1,289 | 2023 |
Stolen bases | 165 | 1991 |
Team season pitching records | ||
---|---|---|
Statistic | Record | Season |
Lowest ERA | 2.92 | 1968 |
Highest ERA | 4.85 | 1977 |
Strikeouts | 1,516 | 2023 |
Shutouts | 24 | 1992 |
Wild pitches | 83 | 1966 |
Team all-time records | |
---|---|
Statistic | Record |
Home runs | 14,539 |
Runs | 97,850 |
Hits | 194,996 |
Batting average | .260 |
ERA | 3.67 |
Runs allowed | 96,606 |