The top milestones that were reached in 2023

The top milestones that were reached in 2023

December 26th, 2023

Every season is another chance for MLB’s incredibly talented players to show us all that they can accomplish. Entering the year, it’s always fun to anticipate which career milestones might be reached or surpassed in the upcoming round of 162 games. But over the course of the season, there are also single-season marks broken that we wouldn’t have even seen coming.

Here’s a look back at 13 individuals who reached milestones in the 2023 season.

Miguel Cabrera: 16th all time in hits

Last year, Cabrera became the 33rd member of the 3,000 hit club, and in his final season, he climbed the all-time hits list even more. He entered the year with 3,088 hits, which ranked 24th all time. He finished his career with 3,174 hits, good for 16th all time, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Along the way, he passed Ichiro Suzuki (3,089 hits), Dave Winfield (3,110), Alex Rodriguez (3,115), Tony Gwynn (3,141), Robin Yount (3,142), Paul Waner (3,152), George Brett (3,154) and Adrián Beltré (3,166).

and : 100 career home runs

This one happened early in the season and then again in August. Alvarez entered 2023 with 98 home runs in just 368 career games. He hit No. 99 on Opening Day and his 100th on April 3, in his 372nd career game. Tatis entered with 81 homers and hit No. 100 on Aug. 2 in his 362nd game. Tatis and Alvarez, respectively, mark the fifth-and-sixth-fewest games to 100 career home runs. Only Ryan Howard (325 games), Pete Alonso (347), Gary Sánchez (355) and Aaron Judge (371) reached the mark in fewer games.

and : 11th and T-12th all time in strikeouts

The two entered the season as teammates, again, and ranked 12th and 13th all time in career strikeouts. Verlander was 12th with 3,198 and Scherzer was 13th at 3,193, both within striking distance of 10th all time. By the end of the year, they were no longer teammates and had flipped in order on the all-time list. Scherzer is 11th with 3,367 strikeouts and Verlander has 3,342, tied with Phil Niekro for 12th. Looking ahead, Greg Maddux is 10th, with 3,371 strikeouts.

and : 400 saves

Each of these prolific closers joined an exclusive club. Before Jansen and Kimbrel, only six pitchers had amassed at least 400 saves. Kimbrel entered ‘23 with 394 saves and Jansen with 391. Jansen got there first, on May 10, and Kimbrel followed suit on May 26. Coincidentally, both did so in games in Atlanta -- and both are former Braves closers. Baseball! For Kimbrel, the Phillies were the seventh team he recorded a save with. For Jansen, the Red Sox were his third.

: 200 wins

Wainwright entered 2023 with 195 career wins. He registered the 200th win of his career on Sept. 18, in what would be his final appearance. And he did it with a vintage outing, going seven scoreless. At 42 years and 19 days old, he became the oldest Cardinals pitcher with a scoreless outing of at least seven innings. He surpassed a 41-year, 210-day old Jim Kaat, who threw a 10-inning shutout on June 4, 1980. A storybook ending.

: 40-70 season

Here’s one we didn’t know we’d be counting down to before the season began. Ronald Acuña Jr. became the first player in MLB history with at least 40 homers and 70 stolen bases in a season. While the round-number feat is 40-70, Acuña was already in an exclusive club the moment he got to 29 homers and 59 stolen bases, which nobody else has ever done. But he didn’t stop there, finishing with 41 home runs and a Braves’ Modern Era-record 73 stolen bases. And by the way, Acuña’s 41 homers were the most out of the leadoff spot in a season.

and Acuña: most and 2nd-most leadoff spot RBIs

Betts finished with 107 RBIs, the most RBIs out of the leadoff spot in a season (RBIs official since 1920). Acuña was right behind with 106, next on the list. Before ‘23, there had been two 100-RBI leadoff hitters: 2017 Charlie Blackmon (103) and ‘00 Darin Erstad (100). This season gave us three, with Betts, Acuña and Marcus Semien, who had 100 on the dot.

: 20 homers and 50 stolen bases in rookie season

Carroll became the first rookie in MLB history with at least 20 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season. He ended up with 25 home runs and 54 stolen bases, raising the bar even higher. The prior mark for most stolen bases in a rookie season with at least 25 home runs was 49, by Mike Trout in 2012.

: first with 25-25 in each of first two seasons

Rodríguez became the first player in MLB history with at least 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in each of his first two seasons of his career. In ‘22, he became the first to reach those marks in his first MLB season, meaning he was also the first to have the chance to do this a second time in his second season. He ended up with 32 homers and 37 stolen bases.

: 40 homers and 10 wins

We can’t talk about milestones and feats without discussing Ohtani, who crushed 44 homers to accompany 10 wins as a pitcher. He became the first player with at least 40 home runs at the plate and 10 wins on the mound in a season. The prior most homers in a 10-win season was 34 … by Ohtani in 2022. Before that? Eleven, by Babe Ruth in 1918.