Striking out in baseball is never a good thing for a hitter. It means they failed to put the ball in play and did not help their team on offense. While striking out once or twice in a game is common, striking out 6 times is incredibly rare and embarrassing for a hitter.
What is Considered Striking Out?
In baseball, a strikeout occurs when a batter accumulates 3 strikes during their time at bat. Strikes can occur in several ways:
- The batter swings at and misses a pitch
- The batter does not swing at a pitch that is in the strike zone
- A foul ball or foul tip when there are already 2 strikes
Once the umpire calls 3 strikes, the batter is out and credited with a strikeout. This means the batter did not put the ball in play and did not reach base safely.
Frequency of Striking Out 6 Times
Striking out 6 times in one game is exceptionally rare in baseball. In the 150+ year history of major league baseball, it has only happened 32 times (as of 2023). Some reasons why it is so uncommon include:
- Most players do not bat enough in a game to have 6 strikeouts. Teams only bat 9 players, and not everyone comes up to bat 4+ times.
- After multiple strikeouts, managers often remove players from the game so they do not embarrass themselves further.
- Striking out repeatedly in a game can crush a hitter’s confidence and make future at-bats even harder.
- Pitchers rarely can maintain dominance over a hitter for 6 plate appearances in one day.
In MLB history, there has only been one instance of a player striking out 7 times in a game, accomplished by Roger Peckinpaugh in 1914. So in over 2 million MLB games played, striking out 6+ times has only happened 33 times.
Players Who Have Struck Out 6 Times in a Game
Here is a list of all 32 MLB players who have recorded the unfortunate record of striking out 6 times in one game:
| Player | Date | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Vince DiMaggio | May 4, 1942 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Rennie Stennett | April 17, 1975 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Jose Cardenal | May 4, 1975 | Chicago Cubs |
| Bo Jackson | June 21, 1989 | Kansas City Royals |
| Preston Wilson | July 24, 2003 | Colorado Rockies |
| Ray Lankford | April 15, 2008 | St. Louis Cardinals |
And 26 other players join this list between 1942 and 2023. Some modern players to do it include Ray Lankford, Bo Jackson, Vince DiMaggio, and Preston Wilson. Jose Cardenal was the first player to ever strike out 6 times in both leagues (AL and NL).
Reaction to 6 Strikeout Games
Fans and media never react positively when a player strikes out 6 times in one game. There is usually a lot of ridicule and jokes made at the hitter’s expense. Teammates also give players a hard time but try to be encouraging so the player can rebound.
For the player, striking out 6 times is humiliating and very frustrating. They feel like they let their team down. It can shake a player’s confidence at the plate for several games afterwards. Managers usually try to give hitters the next day off or minimize their at-bats to help them regain composure.
While unfortunate, getting 6 strikeouts does not necessarily mean a player is untalented or past their prime. Even MVPs and Hall of Famers like Willie Mays, Jimmie Foxx, Ralph Kiner struck out 6 times in a game during their careers.
Conclusion
Striking out 6 times in one MLB game is exceptionally rare. Only 32 players have ever done it, as most batters do not even get 6 at-bats in a game before being removed. For a hitter, it is humiliating and damaging to their confidence. But it does not define their overall talent, as even some great hitters like Mays and Foxx had the same struggles at one point.