Intentional Walk Record: The Art of Pitching Around a Hitter
Intentional walks have been part of baseball for over a century, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that they started tracking them as an official statistic. An intentional walk occurs when a pitcher decides to give the batter first base without throwing any pitches in order to avoid facing him. This strategy is often used when there are runners on base and the pitcher wants to set up a potential double play or avoid giving up a home run.
The major league record for intentional walks in a season is held by Barry Bonds, who was intentionally walked 120 times during the 2004 season. Bonds was one of the most feared hitters of his time and pitchers would rather face anyone else in the lineup than him. His record-breaking season helped him win his seventh National League MVP award.
Other notable players who have had high intentional walk seasons include Willie McCovey (45), Albert Pujols (44), and Hank Aaron (38). Interestingly, Babe Ruth only received four intentional walks during his entire career despite being one of the greatest hitters of all time.
Pitchers also hold records for issuing the most intentional walks in a game or season. The single-game record is held by Bob Feller, who intentionally walked five batters in a game against the Boston Red Sox in 1946. The season record belongs to Warren Spahn, who issued 26 intentional walks during the 1957 campaign.
While some may argue that intentional walks take away from the excitement of seeing two great players go head-to-head, they are an important strategic tool that managers use to gain an advantage over their opponents. Regardless of how you feel about them, intentional walks will continue to be part of baseball for years to come.