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The home run stands out as one of the most electrifying plays in sports. Since the days when Babe Ruth revolutionized baseball with his long ball prowess, fans have been fascinated and left in awe of sluggers who can go deep.
Across baseball's deep history, we've seen all sorts of power hitters... from those who have brief yet towering peaks of production to those whose longevity and consistency are their greatest weapon.
In this article, we'll take a look at the all-time home run leader for every MLB team with a brief analysis of their (mostly) spectacular careers. A reminder... the number of home runs listed is how many each respective player slugged while with the team and is not their overall career total.
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Arizona Diamondbacks: Luis Gonzalez - 224 Home Runs
While Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa stole the show in the 2001 home run race, cranking 73 and 64 respectively, Arizona's Luis Gonzalez launched 57 bombs, a mark that still stands as the D-Backs' single-season record and accounted for a whopping 25% of his career total with the club. Though he never came close to recreating his '01 power numbers (no comment), Gonzo hit over 20 dingers in six of his eight seasons with the Diamondbacks.
Atlanta Braves: Hank Aaron - 733 Home Runs
Perhaps the most consistent home run hitter of all time, Hammerin' Hank never hit more than 47 homers in a single year, yet cranked over 30 dingers in a season 15 times across his illustrious 23-year career, 21 seasons of which were spent with the Braves. His mark of 755 career home runs was baseball's gold standard for decades. His 733 dingers in a Braves uniform is the most ever by a player for one major league team and is unlikely to be challenged anytime soon.
Did you know?
Hank Aaron made his official debut wearing No. 5 for the Milwaukee Braves in 1954.He wouldn't claim his famous No. 44 until the following season. pic.twitter.com/iGzsDBV6OB
— MLB Vault (@MLBVault) March 14, 2024
Baltimore Orioles: Cal Ripken Jr. - 431 Home Runs
Though he'll always be known for breaking Lou Gehrig's legendary "Iron Man" streak of consecutive games played, Ripken did more than just show up for the games. Over his 21 years with the Orioles, he hit 20 or more dingers in a season 12 times. That consistency helped Ripken to top another Baltimore great, Eddie Murray, by nearly 100 home runs on the O's all-time list.
Boston Red Sox: Ted Williams - 521 Home Runs
Considered by many the greatest hitter that ever lived, Teddy Ballgame is perhaps best known as the last man to hit .400 in a major league season. However, Williams also possessed plenty of power. He played in at least 80 games for 17 seasons and hit 20 or more dingers in 16 of them. We won't even get into the three full seasons he missed due to military service, though we could conservatively estimate that he'd possess well over 600 career home runs with the Red Sox had he been playing ball instead of flying fighter planes in World War II as he was entering the prime of his career.
Chicago White Sox: Frank Thomas - 448 Home Runs
Perhaps the most surprising Frank Thomas stat is that he never won a home run title during his Hall of Fame career. However, The Big Hurt did blast 38 or more bombs in a season on eight occasions during his 16 years on Chicago's South Side. That type of consistency helped him squeak past Paul Konerko's 432 dingers for the all-time Sox record of 448 and tally 521 homers for his career.
Chicago Cubs: Sammy Sosa - 545 Home Runs
Many baseball historians have spent countless hours analyzing the career of Sammy Sosa and other sluggers from the Steroid Era, so we'll leave that discussion to others. For this list, we're focused on raw numbers, and Slammin' Sammy is the statistical king of dingers for the Cubbies, clearing the legendary Ernie Banks, despite playing 717 fewer games in a Cubs uniform. Sosa's numbers while on the North Side are pure comic-book level, as he averaged 55 homers a year between 1998 and 2003.
Cincinnati Reds: Johnny Bench - 389 Home Runs
Despite last suiting up in a Reds uniform in 1983, Johnny Bench remains Cincinnati's all-time home run king. Considered by many the greatest catcher in the history of baseball, Bench is the only full-time catcher that stands as a franchise's leader in home runs. A key piece of the "Big Red Machine" of the '70s, he wasn't just a weapon at the plate. Bench won two NL MVP awards and 10 Gold Gloves for his overall prowess on the diamond.
Cleveland Guardians: Jim Thome - 337 Home Runs
Of his eye-popping 612 home runs, over half came while he was wearing a Cleveland uniform. His 337 dingers with the Tribe are nearly 100 more than his next-closest competitor, Albert Belle. A classic power hitter, Thome's slugging helped fuel a turnaround for the long-suffering Cleveland franchise in the 1990s and he hit 30 or more dingers in seven consecutive seasons for the club between 1996 and 2002.
October 4, 1991: Jim Thome's 1st HR ⚾️
30 yrs ago today #OurCLE Jim Thome (wearing # 6) goes deep for 1st time. Of course it was a) w/ 2 outs in 9th b) gave Tribe lead c) at Yankee Stadium d) upper decker. 611 more after this! #GentlemanJim #UpperDeck #HoF pic.twitter.com/AeunWltf40— Mr. Cleveland Sports (@MrCleveland_216) October 4, 2021
Colorado Rockies: Todd Helton - 369 Home Runs
The recently inducted Hall of Famer spent his entire career with the Rockies in the friendly confines of Coors Field. While he certainly received a boost by playing in the thin air of Colorado, Helton tops all other Rockies - that had the same advantage - by a comfortable margin. His 369 dingers easily clear the 258 hit by Larry Walker during his Colorado tenure.
Detroit Tigers: Al Kaline - 399 Home Runs
While Ty Cobb possesses a stranglehold on the Tigers' record book, the great Al Kaline remains Detroit's home run king. Falling just one dinger shy of 400 during his decorated 22-year career - the entirety of which was spent with the Tigers - the fact that he never hit 30 homers in a season speaks to Kaline's consistency and longevity. At one point it looked as though Miguel Cabrera would surpass Kaline as Detroit's home run champ, though Cabrera's last several injury-plagued seasons left him 26 round-trippers shy of the all-time mark.
Houston Astros: Jeff Bagwell - 449 Home Runs
One of the most dangerous hitters of his era, Bagwell hit 30 or more homers in eight of his 15 seasons with the Astros. He formed the "Killer Bs" with teammate Craig Biggio and helped Houston become one of MLB's most consistent organizations for a decade from the mid-1990s into the mid-2000s. He's the only player in Astros history to top 400 home runs with the team and he stands over 100 dingers clear of the 326 dingers Lance Berkman hit in a Houston uniform.
Kansas City Royals: George Brett - 317 Home Runs
George Brett wasn't known for his home run power and famously only hit 30 dingers in a season once in his illustrious career - though it happened to be the 1985 campaign in which he helped the Royals to their first World Series title. The first-ballot Hall of Famer did crank over 20 round-trippers in a season eight times during his career and his 317 HRs are not bad for a guy whose career slash line is .305/.369/.487.
Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout - 368 Home Runs
Trout is the only player on our list who is still adding to his franchise-record HR total. Already 69 homers clear of Tim Salmon on the Angels all-time list, it's not hard to envision Trout putting the club's home run record ridiculously out of reach, depending on his health and the length of time he remains with the Halos. While his staggering output has been slowed by injuries in recent years, Trout is unquestionably one of the most dominant hitters of the 21st century and has already carved out a sure-fire reservation in Cooperstown.
I think about this Mike Trout highlight reel from 2014 on a weekly basis pic.twitter.com/mqURh6KYrZ
— Nolan Brooks (@NolanBrooks04) February 22, 2024
Los Angeles Dodgers: Duke Snider - 389 Home Runs
The Dodgers legend smashed 40+ homers in five consecutive seasons between 1953 and 1957 en route to tallying 389 dingers for the iconic organization and 407 overall in his career. Despite his consistent display of power over the aforementioned five-year span, Snider only led the league in homers once in his career while playing in the era of Mays, Aaron, Mathews, Banks, and other formidable sluggers. He sits ahead of another icon, Gil Hodges, on the all-time Dodgers HR list and it doesn't appear as though his record will be challenged anytime soon.
Miami Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton - 267 Home Runs
Before being shipped to the New York Yankees, Stanton was busy mashing 267 homers across eight seasons in South Beach. The powerful Stanton started his career with the Marlins by blasting 20 or more home runs in every season he played for the club, including an eye-popping 59 in his final campaign with Miami in 2017 - a mark that remains the single-season franchise record. His 267 dingers are over 100 more than Dan Uggla hit with the Marlins, and we could see Stanton's mark holding atop the Miami record book for quite some time for an organization that often ships players off when they become too expensive.
Milwaukee Brewers: Ryan Braun - 352 Home Runs
Braun's 352 home runs for the Brewers stand just over 100 clear of Milwaukee icon Robin Yount's career tally. The slugger started his career on a torrid pace, crushing 30 or more homers in five of his first six seasons with the Brewers. However, Braun's output declined dramatically over the latter portion of his career amidst both injuries and PED controversy. He reached 30 dingers in a season just once across his last eight seasons with Milwaukee.
Minnesota Twins: Harmon Killebrew - 559 Home Runs
The Minnesota legend became just the 10th member of baseball's 500-home run club in 1971 and it's unlikely that his 559 career homers with the Twins will ever be surpassed, as Killebrew stands miles ahead of second place on the franchise's all-time list - Kent Hrbek with 293. One of the game's most legendary power hitters, Killebrew hit 40 or more HRs in eight seasons, a mark that's tied for second all-time in MLB history behind Babe Ruth's 11.
New York Yankees: Babe Ruth - 659 Home Runs
Speaking of Babe Ruth... the stats of the game's most iconic player continue to boggle the mind. Despite primarily being deployed as a pitcher for the first few seasons of his career with the Red Sox, Ruth's HR prowess would revolutionize baseball after his contract was purchased by the New York Yankees in 1920. The Sultan of Swat would go on to mash 659 dingers while wearing pinstripes, leading the league in home runs in 10 of his first 12 seasons with the Yankees. While Mickey Mantle (536) and Lou Gehrig (493) each made spirited runs at The Babe's franchise home run record, it's hard to imagine anyone ever surpassing Ruth's mammoth Yankees HR total.
There's No Place Like Home !!!#BabeRuth 💠 #Yankees pic.twitter.com/VNZURn8gDj
— Jimmy from the Bronx (@Jimmy27BronxNY) March 16, 2024
New York Mets: Darryl Strawberry - 252 Home Runs
The Mets' all-time home run list is topped by a couple of baseball's great "What Ifs" in Darryl Strawberry and David Wright. In Strawberry's case, he dazzled with 252 home runs across the first eight seasons of his career after the Mets made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1980 draft. Despite that impressive output, it's fair to wonder what sort of numbers Straw could have posted if not for his notorious drug use and lifestyle off the field. As for Wright, he appeared to be a lock to surpass Strawberry's franchise HR record, yet injuries limited him to just 12 dingers after he turned 32, and he finished his Mets tenure with 242 home runs... just 10 shy of Stawberry's mark.
Oakland Athletics: Mark McGwire - 363 Home Runs
Although Mark McGwire's most famous seasons came during his time with the St. Louis Cardinals, Big Mac was bashing bombs long before he arrived in St. Louis. He spent the first 12 seasons of his career in Oakland, breaking the then-MLB record for home runs as a rookie with 49 in 1987 and becoming the first major leaguer to begin their career with four consecutive seasons of 30-plus homers. McGwire tallied 363 dingers during his time in the Bay, joining the legendary Jimmie Foxx as the only Athletics to hit over 300 HRs with the franchise.
Philadelphia Phillies: Mike Schmidt - 548 Home Runs
The three-time MVP spent the entirety of his illustrious 18-year career with the Phillies, racking up the sort of mind-boggling stats that made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer during his time in Philly. Schmidt led the National League in home runs eight times. He hit 30 or more dingers in 13 of 14 seasons between 1974 and 1987. His 548 HRs easily top Ryan Howard's 382 on the all-time Phillies list and are the most ever by a player who spent his entire career with one team.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Willie Stargell - 475 Home Runs
One of the most feared power hitters of his era, "Pops" hit more home runs than any player during the 1970s (296) and he is still the last Pittsburgh Pirate to hit more than 40 homers in a season (1973). Stargell spent his entire 21-year career with the Pirates, leading the team to two World Series titles. Stargell's 475 dingers dwarf the next-highest tally in the Pittsburgh record books, Ralph Kiner's 301.
San Diego Padres: Nate Colbert - 173 Home Runs
Among all MLB teams, Nate Colbert's 173 dingers are the fewest by a franchise's all-time leader. While the Padres have had some great players during their history, none have been able to top Colbert's rather meager home run total while playing in San Diego. However, that could soon change, as current Padres Manny Machado (138 HRs) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (106 HRs) are likely to surpass Colbert's franchise record.
San Francisco Giants: Willie Mays - 646 Home Runs
While Barry Bonds might have more career homers, Willie Mays remains the San Francisco Giants' home run king. The Say Hey Kid hit 646 dingers as a Giant to Bonds' 586... despite Mays missing almost two full seasons due to serving in the U.S. Army. Widely considered one of the best overall baseball players of all time, he's one of just nine players in history with multiple seasons of over 50 HRs and he hit 40 or more bombs in four seasons. His 646 homers with the Giants are the third-most in baseball history for a player with a franchise, trailing only Hank Aaron with the Braves and Babe Ruth with the Yankees.
Seattle Mariners: Ken Griffey Jr. - 417 Home Runs
The Kid's swing was a thing of beauty and he fully capitalized on its power during his time with the Seattle Mariners. Griffey broke into the bigs as a 19-year-old in 1989, hitting 87 home runs across his first four major league seasons. He first topped 40 dingers in a season at age 23 and would hit over 40 homers in six of his last seven seasons with the Mariners before being traded to the Reds in 2000. Despite spending 10 seasons of his career in Cincinnati and Chicago, his place atop the Seattle HR list with 417 home runs is likely safe for many years to come.
Ken Griffey Jr had the sweetest swing in MLB history pic.twitter.com/QNs33o2beD
— Baseball King (@BasebaIlKing) June 24, 2023
St. Louis Cardinals: Stan Musial - 475 Home Runs
Despite never hitting 40 home runs in a season or leading the league in dingers, Musial tops the Cardinals' all-time HR list thanks to his consistency and longevity. "Stan The Man" hit 10 homers during his first full season in the big leagues and he'd never fail to hit double-digit home runs in any of his remaining 21 seasons - all of which were spent in St. Louis.
Tampa Bay Rays: Evan Longoria - 261 Home Runs
The Rays franchise is still a relative baby by MLB standards. Established in 1998, Tampa Bay hasn't exactly been a hotbed for power hitters. That said, Evan Longoria's mark of 261 homers while with the club deserves a tip of the cap and is unlikely to be broken anytime soon.
Texas Rangers: Juan Gonzalez - 372 Home Runs
We don't know if a two-time MVP that's the all-time home run leader in Texas Rangers franchise history can be considered "under the radar", but it feels like Juan Gonzalez rarely comes up in conversation. "Juan Gone" spent the entire 1990s with the Rangers and his 339 bombs during that timespan were the fifth-most of the decade. All told, he hit 372 homers while wearing a Texas uniform, a total that comfortably clears Rafael Palmeiro's 321 with the Rangers.
Toronto Blue Jays: Carlos Delgado - 336 Home Runs
A premier slugger who seems to have slipped through the cracks while playing in the Steroid Era, Delgado's output in Toronto is impressive. In his first nine full seasons in the big leagues, all of which were with the Blue Jays, Delgado mashed 25 or more homers every year, topping 30 dingers in eight of them. Despite a strong lineage of power hitters, Delgado is the only Blue Jay in franchise history who's cranked over 300 HRs while with the club.
Washington Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman - 284 Home Runs
Sharing history and records with the Montreal Expos, Zimmerman climbed over Vlad Guerrero, Andre Dawson, and Gary Carter to reach the top of the mountain in the Nationals record books. The organization's first draft pick after the move to Washington, Zimmerman only hit more than 30 homers in a season twice during his 16-year career, although he topped 20 dingers in seven campaigns. That consistency helped him to amass an impressive 284 HRs while spending his entire career with the Nats.
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