Most home runs in a season by an MLB player: Top 10 all time list

Nothing sends a baseball crowd into a frenzy quite like a home run. And when the biggest mashers step to the plate, fans anxiously hope to celebrate a ball clearing the fence. Throughout the history of Major League Baseball, many players have become legends for their power-hitting ability earning them the most home runs in a season.

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The most home runs in a season ranking are among the most revered yet controversial records in most sports. However, some claim that the astounding home run totals result from the steroid involvement allegations some players face. Regardless, these players hold a special place in the MLB's history.

Most home runs in a season

Historically, different positions have come with different power expectations. This is evident when looking at the all-time home run leaders at each spot on the diamond. Here is a list of MLB players' top 10 most home runs in a season.

1. Barry Bonds

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Who holds the record for the most home runs in a season? Barry Bonds holds the most home runs in a season. Barry is a retired American professional baseball left fielder. He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for different teams.

Between 1986 and 1992, he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates before joining San Francisco Giant between 1993 and 2007. He is one of the best baseball players of all time. He has 762 home runs in a career and 73 in a single season in 2001. So who is the real home run king? With his record, Barry Bond stands as the real home run king.

2. Hank Aaron

Henry Louis Aaron was an American professional baseball right fielder. He played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball between 1954 and 1976. The player spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL).

Throughout his career, he hit 755 runs in his career even though he did not hit 50 in a single season. The player led the MLB only four times, but he smacked not less than 40 hits in a single-season eight times with unwavering consistency. His highest was 47 round trip in 1971.

3. Babe Ruth

George Herman Ruth Jr, known as Babe Ruth, was an American professional baseball player. He played in MLB for 22 seasons from 1914 to 1935. He was a star left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. However, he achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees.

Babe has one of the highest MLB records home runs in a season and his career. He led the major in home runs after earning 12 times in 14 years from 1918-to 1931. In 1920, his 54 round trip, then considered a single-season record was more than the total for each of the other 15 teams in the major leagues.

4. Alex Rodriguez

Even though Alex is one of the most controversial figures on this list on the MLB, he has one of the best single-season home run records. He enjoyed an incredible average of 46 home runs during nine years from 1999 to 2007. Towards the end of the 2010 season, he had 613 round trips. Unfortunately, Alex managed only 83 more due to injury and suspension.

5. Albert Pujols

Albert has one of the most home runs by a catcher in MLB history. He is the only active player on the list currently signed with the Dodgers. Even though the player has been receiving limited time play, he has continued to add to his impressive total records.

Albert burst into the pitch with a 37 round trip in 2001 as a rookie with the Cardinals. He hit at least 40 six times in the big leagues in his first decade. On 18th September 2020, he earned his 60th career multi-home run game.

6. Willie Mays

Willie stands out as one of the best all-around players in the history of the MLB. In addition, he has one of the best MLB home run records. Apart from 660 home runs, he took away 338 bases leading the league with four straight seasons from 1956 to 1959. His total score stands at 2.062 runs and collected around 3.283 hits.

7. Ken Griffey Jr

Ken has one of the best MLB most home runs in a season, enjoying a five-year run of success between 1996 and 2000. He averaged 50 home runs and 137RBIs while attaining 0.290 hitting and 0.604 slugging. Unfortunately, he did not achieve 30 hits in a single season during his last years playing in the majors.

8. Jim Thome

Has anyone ever hit a 600 foot home run? Yes. Jim is of the most talented players to ever hit 600 foot home run. He had a total of 612 home runs. The player was a force to reckon with for the Indians, Phillies and White Sox between the late 1990s and mid-2000s. During his 2007 season with Cleveland, he hit 52 home runs.

9. Sammy Sosa

Who hit 50 home runs in a season? Sammy Sosa is one of the players who hit 50 home runs in a season. He has an average of 58 home runs during the 1998 to 2000 five-year stretch.

His achievement was highlighted by the 66 bombs hit in 1998. With his remarkable scores, he is one of the players most associated with baseball’s steroid era of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

10. Frank Robinson

Frank has some of the most home runs by a catcher in a season. He burst on the pitch with 38 home runs coupled with a league-high of 122 runs. He scored these in 1956 as a 20-year-old rookie playing with the Reds.

For the next 15 years, he continued ranking as one of the MLB's top power hitters. He led the league in 1966 with 49 home runs.

Several players with the most home runs in a season have been long retired. However, others have secured their place next to the Hall of Fame just moments before hanging he clears, while others are still actively involved to date. Regardless of the current whereabouts, the top 10 best are worth mentioning.

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