HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

In
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
, a shutout (denoted statistically as ShO or SHO) refers to the act by which a single
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
pitches a
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
and does not allow the opposing team to score a
run Run(s) or RUN may refer to: Places * Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia * Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant People * Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...
. If two or more pitchers combine to complete this act, no pitcher is awarded a shutout, although the team itself can be said to have "shut out" the opposing team. The ultimate single achievement among pitchers is a perfect game, which has been accomplished 23 times in over 135 years, most recently by Félix Hernández of the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...
on August 15, 2012. Until a rule change implemented by the MLB in 2020, a perfect game was previously also, by definition, counted as a shutout. A
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
completed by one pitcher is also a shutout unless the opposing team manages to score through a series of
errors An error (from the Latin ''error'', meaning "wandering") is an action which is inaccurate or incorrect. In some usages, an error is synonymous with a mistake. The etymology derives from the Latin term 'errare', meaning 'to stray'. In statistics ...
,
base on balls A base on balls (BB), also known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The base on balls is defined in Sec ...
,
catcher's interference In baseball, interference occurs in situations in which a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. Interference might be committed by players on the offense, players not currently in the game, catchers, umpires, or spec ...
s,
dropped third strike In baseball and softball, an uncaught third strike (sometimes referred to as dropped third strike or non-caught third strike) occurs when the catcher fails to cleanly catch a pitch for the third strike of a plate appearance. In Major League Base ...
s, or hit batsmen. The all-time career leader in shutouts is Walter Johnson, who pitched for the Washington Senators from 1907 to 1927. He accumulated 110 shutouts, which is 20 more than the second place leader, Pete Alexander. The record for shutouts in a single season is 16, a mark which was achieved by George Bradley in and Pete Alexander in . These records are considered among the most secure records in baseball, because pitchers today rarely earn more than one or two shutouts per season due to a heavy emphasis on pitch count and
relief pitching In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weather d ...
. Complete games themselves have also become rare among
starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
s. The current leader among active players for career shutouts is Clayton Kershaw, who has thrown 15.


Overview

A shutout is officially defined by
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
rule 10.18: A shutout in
baseball statistics Baseball statistics play an important role in evaluating the progress of a player or team. Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itsel ...
is abbreviated as ''ShO'' or ''SHO'', not to be confused with
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is den ...
(''SO''). To achieve a shutout, a pitcher must pitch a
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
without allowing the other team to score a run. However, there are exceptions and other stipulations to this rule. Jim Creighton of the Excelsior of Brooklyn club is widely regarded to have thrown the first official shutout in history on November 8, 1860. In the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
's inaugural season of 1876, the eight teams played between 59 and 70 games, but it was common for each team to only have one pitcher on the team who pitched every inning of every game. For that reason, George Bradley pitched 16 shutouts in 1876, which still stands as the Major League record (currently tied with Pete Alexander who pitched the same number in 1916). Bradley's 16 shutouts in one year were almost half the total number he pitched in his nine-year career as a pitcher. From 1876 to 1916, 10 shutouts or more a season was recorded 19 times. With the increase in power hitting in the
live-ball era The live-ball era, also referred to as the lively ball era, is the period in Major League Baseball beginning in (and continuing to the present day), contrasting with the pre-1920 period known as the "dead-ball era". The name "live-ball era" comes ...
, as well as the increased utilization of
relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weat ...
s, shutouts and
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
s dramatically declined. Since 1917, 10 or more shutouts a season has only been achieved 10 times by pitchers with very exceptional seasons. Jim Palmer was the last
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league b ...
pitcher to achieve this mark with 10 in 1975, and John Tudor was the last National League pitcher with 10 in 1985, not including the 11th shutout that Tudor threw in the World Series that year. In 1968 for the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
,
Don Drysdale Donald Scott Drysdale (July 23, 1936 – July 3, 1993) was an American professional baseball player and television sports commentator. A right-handed pitcher for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers for his entire career in Major League Baseball, D ...
pitched a Major League record six consecutive shutouts on his way to a total of eight. While his statistics that year are often overlooked when compared to fellow
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
pitcher
Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" ...
, Drysdale did pitch a then-record consecutive scoreless
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning ...
over the course of a month, whereby he did not allow an opposing run. He can be said to have "shut out" the opposition for consecutive innings pitched. That scoreless streak would later be broken by Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser in 1988, who pitched one more out than Drysdale to record 59 consecutive shutout innings. Ed Reulbach of the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
is the only pitcher in Major League Baseball history to have pitched two shutouts on the same day. On September 26, 1908, the Cubs played a doubleheader against the
Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Californi ...
. Reulbach pitched both games to completion, in which the Dodgers failed to score in both games. Red Barrett (1944) holds the record for the fewest pitches needed to complete a nine-inning shutout with only 58 pitches—the fewest ever pitched in any nine-inning game in Major League history, as well as the quickest night game ever at one hour and 15 minutes. Among other records, Walter Johnson has the most
Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
shutouts with seven, and
Jamie Moyer Jamie Moyer (born November 18, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Over his 25-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB), Moyer pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Bost ...
(2010) is the oldest player to ever pitch a Major League shutout at 47 years 170 days old. Christy Mathewson holds the postseason record with four shutouts, including an unprecedented three (also a record) during the
1905 World Series The 1905 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1905 season. It was the second edition of the World Series after the 1903 Series, since the 1904 season ended with no Series held. The 1905 Series matched the Nat ...
.


Recording a shutout without starting or pitching a complete game

It is possible for a pitcher to record a shutout without starting the game or pitching a
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
, so long as all the outs in the game are recorded under the same pitcher with no opposing runs scored by the other team. A pitcher who begins the game is recorded as the
starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
, regardless of how long that pitcher pitches in the game. A pitcher must face at least one batter before being removed to be considered the starting pitcher and get recorded with the game started, whether the batter faced reached base or was put
out Out may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Out'' (1957 film), a documentary short about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 * ''Out'' (1982 film), an American film directed by Eli Hollander * ''Out'' (2002 film), a Japanese film ba ...
in any way. If the starting pitcher is removed from the game before the first recorded out by the opposing team, the pitcher that replaces him can still be eligible for a shutout if the game ends with the opposing team failing to score a run. However, the replacement pitcher cannot be credited with a game started or complete game. In addition to that, the replacement pitcher must complete the rest of the game without being taken out himself for another pitcher at any time during the game. An instance of this occurred on June 23, 1917, when
Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...
of the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
walked the first batter of the Washington Senators, Ray Morgan, in the bottom of the first inning. Ruth engaged in an argument with home plate umpire
Brick Owens Clarence Bernard "Brick" Owens (March 31, 1885 – November 11, 1949) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League in 1908 and 1912–1913, and in the American League from 1916 through 1937. He officiated in t ...
, whereby Ruth was ejected and escorted off the field. Ruth's replacement, Ernie Shore, proceeded to finish the game without allowing the Senators to score. In fact, Morgan was
caught stealing In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder whil ...
, and Shore retired the next 26 batters in a row. The game was regarded as a perfect game for many years until it was officially downgraded to a combined no-hitter due to Ruth giving up the walk. Shore and Ruth were credited with a combined no-hitter, even though Ruth pitched unsuccessfully to only one batter in the game. Shore was credited with a shutout for his effort, despite not starting the game or pitching a complete game. However, if Ruth had conceded a run in the first inning without recording an out, such as allowing consecutive walks or hits, Shore would not be able to record a shutout since the other team had scored a run.


Games lasting shorter or longer than nine innings

A shutout must fall under the technical definitions of a
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
, which consists of only one pitcher pitching an entire game, regardless of how long the game lasts. However, the complete game stipulation is waived if the same pitcher records every
out Out may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Out'' (1957 film), a documentary short about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 * ''Out'' (1982 film), an American film directed by Eli Hollander * ''Out'' (2002 film), a Japanese film ba ...
in the game without having technically started the game, as noted above with the game pitched by Ernie Shore. A standard Major League Baseball game consists of nine innings, unless weather or other uncontrollable elements prevent the game from being completed. If five or more innings have been played and the game cannot be resumed in a timely manner under normal conditions, it can be ruled as a "complete game" according to Major League Baseball rule 4.10. In this case, it is possible for a pitcher to complete only five
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning ...
and still be credited with a complete-game shutout if the other team fails to score by the time the game is ended. However,
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
and perfect game bids are not official unless the game lasts at least nine innings. A shortened game cannot be considered a no-hitter or perfect game, but it can be counted as a shutout if applicable. Conversely, if a game goes into scoreless extra innings, the same pitcher must pitch until the end of the game, despite having already pitched a full nine innings without allowing a run. If the pitcher is replaced or allows a run during an extra inning, he cannot receive a shutout. This situation is very rare today, because starting pitchers will rarely pitch into extra innings. On June 3, 1995, Pedro Martínez of the
Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in ...
had a perfect game through nine innings against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
. The Expos failed to score as well, and the game was forced into extra innings. The Expos scored a run in the top of the 10th inning. In the bottom of the same inning, Martínez gave up a leadoff double to Bip Roberts to break up the perfect game and no-hitter. Martínez was immediately replaced by
Mel Rojas Melquíades Rojas Medrano (born December 10, 1966) is a Dominican former Major League Baseball (MLB) relief pitcher. From 1990 to 1999, he played for the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers of the National League a ...
, who retired the next three batters to end the game. Martínez was credited as the winning pitcher in a 1–0 Expos victory, but he did not record a complete game or a shutout for his efforts since another pitcher had taken part in the game. Arguably the most famous extra inning shutout was recorded by Jack Morris in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. Morris was named the Series MVP for his 10-inning effort. The longest complete-game shutout is 18 innings pitched by a single pitcher, which has occurred four times in Major League history:
John Montgomery Ward John Montgomery Ward (March 3, 1860 – March 4, 1925), known as Monte Ward, was an American Major League Baseball pitcher, shortstop, second baseman, third baseman, manager, executive, union organizer, owner and author. Ward, of English desce ...
(1882), Ed Summers (1909), Walter Johnson (1918), and
Carl Hubbell Carl Owen Hubbell (June 22, 1903 – November 21, 1988), nicknamed "the Meal Ticket" and "King Carl", was an American Major League Baseball player. He was a pitcher for the New York Giants of the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained o ...
(1933).


No-hitters that are not shutouts

In the majority of cases, a
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
is also recorded as a shutout if it is performed by a single pitcher pitching a
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
. If a no-hitter is achieved with more than one pitcher, no pitcher is awarded a shutout or a no-hitter, but a team shutout and no-hitter is still acknowledged. It is possible under rare circumstances for a no-hitter to not be a shutout (either individually or a combined effort). If the opposing team manages to score through a series of
errors An error (from the Latin ''error'', meaning "wandering") is an action which is inaccurate or incorrect. In some usages, an error is synonymous with a mistake. The etymology derives from the Latin term 'errare', meaning 'to stray'. In statistics ...
,
sacrifice flies In baseball, a sacrifice fly (sometimes abbreviated to sac fly) is defined by Rule 9.08(d): "Score a sacrifice fly when, before two are out, the batter hits a ball in flight handled by an outfielder or an infielder running in the outfield in fair o ...
, hit batsman, or
base on balls A base on balls (BB), also known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The base on balls is defined in Sec ...
, the no-hitter remains intact while the shutout is lost. Since 1875, there have been 314 recorded no-hitters, and the vast majority of these have been completed by a single pitcher. Of that number, 24 instances resulted in a no-hitter that was not a shutout since the other team managed to score without actually getting a hit. Of these, there have only been two instances where the team that achieved no hits in the game actually won. One of these games was a combined no-hitter loss accomplished by more than one pitcher, and there has only been one recorded instance in history where a single pitcher lost a complete-game no-hitter. On April 23, 1964, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45s was beaten 1–0 by the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
despite the Reds not getting a single hit. The only other instance of a lost no-hitter occurred when the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
lost to the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
by a score of 2–1 on April 30, 1967. While the Tigers recorded no hits during this game and still won, the Orioles used more than one pitcher (
Steve Barber Stephen David Barber (February 22, 1938 – February 4, 2007) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) left-handed pitcher. He pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and six other teams between 1960–74. Barber compiled 121  wins, 1,309 ...
and Stu Miller), therefore eliminating an individual shutout opportunity. Barber was replaced with two outs in the ninth inning and came one out away from joining Johnson as the only pitcher to single-handedly lose a no-hitter. For games that were shortened due to weather, darkness, or other uncontrollable scenarios, a shutout can still be recorded by a single pitcher, but under Major League Baseball's official definition of a no-hitter, a no-hitter cannot be achieved unless the game lasts nine innings. Any game lasting shorter than a full nine innings cannot qualify, even if one team fails to achieve a hit before the game ends. Conversely, if a starting pitcher on the visiting team is losing the game (despite giving up no hits) after his team bats in the top of the ninth inning, his team will not take the field again unless they tied or took the lead. By this unusual situation, the starting pitcher will only have pitched eight complete innings with no chance to pitch a ninth-inning to attempt a no-hitter. If the starting pitcher is on the home team, he will have a chance to pitch in the top of the ninth inning—a situation that occurred with Ken Johnson and later the combined efforts of Barber and Miller. However, a winning home team will not bat (and the visiting team will not field) in the bottom of the ninth if they are winning, and the game will end with only innings played. In 1991, Major League Baseball changed the definition of a no-hitter to require that a pitcher throw at least nine full innings for the no-hitter to be official. With that change, there have been four no-hit performances ruled ineligible despite the pitcher pitching an eight-inning complete game in a losing effort: Silver King (June 21, 1890),
Andy Hawkins Melton Andrew Hawkins (born January 21, 1960) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach. Hawkins spent most of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the San Diego Padres, and also played for the New York Yankees an ...
(July 1, 1990), Matt Young (April 12, 1992), and the combined pitching of
Jered Weaver Jered David Weaver (born October 4, 1982) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres. Weaver was drafted in the first round (12th ove ...
and José Arredondo (June 28, 2008).


Team shutouts

If two or more pitchers combine to throw a shutout, no pitcher is credited individually with a shutout, but the team as a whole can be said to have "shut out" the other team. The record for the most consecutive shutouts by a single team is held by the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
, who recorded six consecutive shutouts in 1903. That team also holds the record for most consecutive scoreless innings pitched with 56. The
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
and the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
hold the record for the most shutout victories achieved in a single season with 32; the White Sox did so in 1906, and the Cubs did so in 1907 and 1909. The 1908 St. Louis Cardinals hold the record of being shut out 33 times in one season. Only five teams in Major League Baseball history have gone an entire season without recording a single shutout victory. In 1898, three teams—the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, St. Louis Browns, and Washington Senators—failed to defeat a team all season without allowing a run. The
1899 Cleveland Spiders The 1899 Cleveland Spiders season was the team's 13th and final season in Major League Baseball (MLB), and their 11th season in the National League (NL). The Spiders' team owners, the Robison family, also owned the St. Louis Perfectos. To str ...
also achieved this record—winning 20 games to a record 134 losses. The only team since then to record no shutout victories was the expansion 1993 Colorado Rockies. That year, the Rockies had a record of 67–95, in which they never shut out their opponents in any of their 67 wins. The largest margin of victory in a "shutout" game is held by the Providence Grays, who defeated the Philadelphia Quakers 28–0 on August 21, 1883. The largest shutout margin of victory in recent times was 22–0 when the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...
defeated the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
on August 31, 2004.


League leaders

The pitcher who has the most shutouts at the end of the season is recognized as the league leader in that statistic. The
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
and
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league b ...
both have their own league leaders. A pitcher that leads the league in shutouts is often regarded as one of the best pitchers in the league. Such an accomplishment often makes that pitcher a contender for the
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...
or even rarer as the league's
Most Valuable Player In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a partic ...
, because a high number of shutouts may yield a high number of wins and a low
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the numb ...
. Since the establishment of the MVP Award in 1933, each league elects their own MVP, in which 11 American League pitchers and nine National League pitchers have captured their respective league's highest individual award. The following American League pitchers have led the league in shutouts and captured the MVP Award: Lefty Grove (1931),
Spud Chandler Spurgeon Ferdinand "Spud" Chandler (September 12, 1907 – January 9, 1990) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed starting pitcher and played his entire career for the New York Yankees ...
(1943), Hal Newhouser (1945), and Vida Blue (1971). The following National League pitchers have also led the league in shutouts and captured the MVP award: Dizzy Dean (1934),
Mort Cooper Morton Cecil Cooper (March 2, 1913 – November 17, 1958) was an American baseball pitcher who played eleven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played from 1938 to 1949 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Braves, New York Giants, and Ch ...
(1942),
Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax (; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. He has been hailed as one of t ...
(1963),
Carl Hubbell Carl Owen Hubbell (June 22, 1903 – November 21, 1988), nicknamed "the Meal Ticket" and "King Carl", was an American Major League Baseball player. He was a pitcher for the New York Giants of the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained o ...
(1933), and
Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" ...
(1968). Established in 1956, the
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...
was only awarded to one pitcher in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
; separate awards were given to the American and National League starting in 1967. Since the award was established, there have been 25 times (out of a total of 106 awards given since 1956) where the award was given to a pitcher who also led the league in shutouts. Since the establishment of the
Rookie of the Year Award A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
in 1947, three pitchers have led the league in shutouts in their rookie year and also captured the Rookie of the Year Award: Don Newcombe (1949), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), and
Hideo Nomo is a Japanese former baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He achieved early success in his native country, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to . He then exploited a l ...
(1995). Only 16 pitchers in the history of the American and National League have led the league in shutouts in their rookie season; only two of these came from the American League. Walter Johnson, Pete Alexander, and
Cy Young Denton True "Cy" Young (March 29, 1867 – November 4, 1955) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. Born in Gilmore, Ohio, he worked on his family's farm as a youth before starting his professional baseball career. Young entered th ...
each hold the record for having led the league in shutouts on seven occasions. They are ranked first, second, and fourth respectively on the list of career shutouts. More recently,
Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Boston Red Sox. Clemens was one of the most dominant pi ...
led the league six times. Pete Alexander and George Bradley hold the single season shutout record with 16 — a record that is unlikely to ever be broken. 27 pitchers on 29 occasions have accumulated 10 or more shutouts in a single season, while Ed Walsh and Pete Alexander are the only pitchers to have achieved 10 or more on two separate occasions. Of those 29 occasions, only three of these occasions were not high enough to lead the league. In the National League in 1884, Jim McCormick and Charles Radbourn had 10 and 11 shutouts respectively, while
Pud Galvin James Francis "Pud" Galvin (December 25, 1856 – March 7, 1902) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher in the 19th century. He was MLB's first 300-game winner and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1965. Baseball career Ga ...
had 12. Also, in the
American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...
in 1886,
Dave Foutz David Luther Foutz (September 7, 1856 – March 5, 1897) was a Major League Baseball player for 13 seasons. He played multiple positions, including pitcher, from to , compiling a 147–66 career record, as well as first base and outfield. From ...
had 11 shutouts but came second to the 12 by Ed Morris. With the decline in shutouts, since 1999, only six pitchers— A. J. Burnett, Dontrelle Willis,
CC Sabathia Carsten Charles Sabathia Jr. (born July 21, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the New York Yankees. He also played for the Cleveland Indians and Milw ...
, Roy Halladay,
Cliff Lee Clifton Phifer Lee (born August 30, 1978) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher who played for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Between 2002 and 2014 he played for four teams, most notably the Philadelphia Philli ...
and Félix Hernández—have achieved five or more shutouts in a single season, although Sabathia's five shutouts are a combined total from having played in both leagues in one season. CC Sabathia is the only player in history to have led both leagues in shutouts in the same year when he did so in 2008. He had two shutouts for the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...
of the American League when he was traded in the middle of the season to the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
of the National League. He accumulated three shutouts with the Brewers to lead the league. His two shutouts in the American League would also lead the league at the end of the year, even though he was in a different league at the time. Recently, accumulating only 2–3 shutouts may qualify a pitcher to lead or tie the league lead in shutouts. For career shutout leaders, see
List of Major League Baseball career shutout leaders In Major League Baseball, a shutout (denoted statistically as ShO or SHO) refers to the act by which a single pitcher pitches a complete game and does not allow the opposing team to score a run. If two or more pitchers combine to complete this ac ...
.


Top active career leaders

(as of the end of the 2020 season)


Pitchers with 10 or more shutouts in one season

:


See also

*
Baseball statistics Baseball statistics play an important role in evaluating the progress of a player or team. Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itsel ...
*
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders The following is a list of annual leaders in shutouts in Major League Baseball (MLB). A shutout occurs when a single pitcher throws a complete game and does not allow the opposing team to score a single run. Walter Johnson holds the career shu ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career shutout leaders In Major League Baseball, a shutout (denoted statistically as ShO or SHO) refers to the act by which a single pitcher pitches a complete game and does not allow the opposing team to score a run. If two or more pitchers combine to complete this ac ...


References

{{Baseball records Pitching statistics Baseball terminology