List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders

In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit so far that the batter is able to circle all the bases ending at home plate, scoring himself plus any runners already on base, with no errors by the defensive team on the play. An automatic home run is achieved by hitting the ball on the fly over the outfield fence in fair territory. More rarely, an inside-the-park home run occurs when the hitter reaches home plate while the baseball remains in play on the field. In Major League Baseball (MLB), a player in each league wins the home run title each season by hitting the most home runs that year. Only home runs hit in a particular league count towards that league's seasonal lead. Mark McGwire, for example, hit 58 home runs in 1997, more than any other player that year. However, McGwire was traded from the American League's (AL) Oakland Athletics to the National League's (NL) St. Louis Cardinals midway through the season and his individual AL and NL home run totals (34 and 24, respectively) did not qualify to lead either league.

The first home run champion in the National League was George Hall. In the league's inaugural 1876 season, Hall hit five home runs for the short-lived National League Philadelphia Athletics. In 1901, the American League was established and Hall of Fame second baseman Nap Lajoie led it with 14 home runs for the American League Philadelphia Athletics. Over the course of his 22-season career, Babe Ruth led the American League in home runs twelve times. Mike Schmidt and Ralph Kiner have the second and third most home run titles respectively, Schmidt with eight and Kiner with seven, all won in the National League. Kiner's seven consecutive titles from 1946 to 1952 are also the most consecutive home run titles by any player.

Ruth set the Major League Baseball single-season home run record four times, first at 29 (1919), then 54 (1920), 59 (1921), and finally 60 (1927), all in the American League. Ruth's 1920 and 1921 seasons are tied for the widest margin of victory for a home run champion as he topped the next highest total by 35 home runs in each season. The single season mark of 60 stood for 34 years until Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961 in the American League for which MLB assigned an asterisk until reversing themselves in 1991, citing Maris had accomplished his record in a longer season. Maris' league-wide record remained unbroken for 37 years until two National League players, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, both hit more than 62 home runs during the 1998 home run record chase, with McGwire ultimately setting the new record of 70, This record passed both Maris' American League record and the previous National League record, set 68 years earlier by Hack Wilson with 56 in 1930. Barry Bonds, who also has the most career home runs, then broke McGwire's record three years later, setting the existing single season record of 73 in 2001, again in the National League. The American League record was set in 2022 after being held by Roger Maris for 61 years, when Aaron Judge hit 62 homeruns.

The 1998 and 2001 seasons each had four players hit 50 or more home runs – Greg Vaughn, Ken Griffey Jr., Sosa, and McGwire in 1998 and Alex Rodriguez, Luis Gonzalez, Sosa, and Bonds in 2001. A player has hit 50 or more home runs 42 times, 25 times since 1990. Only seven players have hit 60 or more in one season, with Aaron Judge (2022) and Cal Raleigh (2025) the most recent. The lowest home run total to lead a major league was four, recorded in the NL by Lip Pike in 1877 and Paul Hines in 1878.

Key Winner(s) Player(s) with the most home runs (HR) in the leagueHR The winner's home run totalRunner(s)-up Player(s) with the second-most HRs in the league2nd HR The runner-up home run totalLeague Denoted only for players outside of the modern major leagues † Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

American League

YearWinner(s)HR TeamRunner(s)-up2nd HR Ref1901†14 Philadelphia Athletics12 190216 Philadelphia AthleticsBill BradleyBuck Freeman11 190313 Boston Americans12 10 Philadelphia AthleticsBuck Freeman Philadelphia Athletics 12 Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia AthleticsDanny HoffmanTy Cobb† † Detroit Tigers† Detroit Tigers†10Boston Red Sox†Duffy Lewis †11 Philadelphia Athletics†Ty Cobb† †Tris Speaker†10 Philadelphia AthleticsBoston Red Sox† †12 Philadelphia Athletics† † Philadelphia Athletics† Chicago White SoxCleveland Indians12 New York Yankees†10 New York Yankees †Tilly Walker11 Boston Red SoxPhiladelphia Athletics†George Burns †29Boston Red SoxFrank Baker†George Sisler†10†54 New York Yankees†19 †59 New York YankeesBob Meusel24 39 St. Louis Browns37 †41 New York Yankees29 †46 New York Yankees27 33 New York Yankees†25†47New York Yankees†19 †60 New York Yankees†47 †54 New York Yankees†27†46 New York Yankees†35†49 New York Yankees†41 †Lou Gehrig†46New York Yankees32†58 Philadelphia Athletics†41 †48 Philadelphia Athletics†34 †49 New York Yankees†44 †Jimmie Foxx†36 Detroit TigersPhiladelphia Athletics†30 †49 New York Yankees42 †46 New York Yankees†40†58 Detroit Tigers†50 †35 Boston Red Sox†33 †41 Detroit Tigers†36 †37 Boston Red Sox33 †36 Boston Red Sox2734 Detroit Tigers31 22 New York Yankees20 24 St. Louis BrownsNick EttenRudy York18 †44 Detroit Tigers†38 †32 Boston Red Sox†29 †39 New York Yankees†32 †43 Boston Red Sox39 37 Cleveland Indians3433Chicago White SoxPhiladelphia Athletics†30 †32 Cleveland Indians31 43 Cleveland Indians42 †32 Cleveland Indians†29†37 New York Yankees30†52 New York Yankees3242 Washington Senators†38 †42 New York Yankees41†Rocky Colavito42 Washington SenatorsCleveland Indians33†40 New York Yankees39 61New York Yankees†54†48 Minnesota Twins39†45 Minnesota Twins42 †49 Minnesota Twins39 32 Boston Red Sox30†49 Baltimore Orioles†39 †Harmon Killebrew†44 Boston Red SoxMinnesota Twins3644 Washington Senators36 †49 Minnesota Twins48 44Washington Senators†41 33 Chicago White Sox†Norm Cash32 †37 Chicago White Sox33 †32 Oakland AthleticsFrank Robinson†30 †32 Chicago White Sox†29 †George Scott36 Oakland AthleticsMilwaukee Brewers34 32 New York Yankees†Sal Bando27 †39 Boston Red SoxBobby Bonds37 †46 Boston Red SoxDon Baylor34 45 Milwaukee BrewersJim Rice†39 †Ben Oglivie41 New York YankeesMilwaukee Brewers38 Eddie Murray†Dwight EvansTony Armas22 California AngelsBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxOakland AthleticsGreg Luzinski21 †Gorman Thomas39California AngelsMilwaukee Brewers†37 †39 Boston Red Sox3643 Boston Red Sox3540 Detroit Tigers†37 40Toronto Blue Jays35 49 Oakland Athletics47 42 Oakland Athletics†34 †36 Toronto Blue Jays35 51 Detroit Tigers39 Cecil Fielder44 Oakland AthleticsDetroit Tigers†34 43 Texas Rangers42 46 Texas Rangers†45 †40 Seattle Mariners†38 50 Cleveland IndiansFrank Thomas†40 52 Oakland Athletics50 †56 Seattle Mariners44†56Seattle MarinersAlbert Belle49†48Seattle MarinersRafael Palmeiro47 47 Anaheim AngelsFrank Thomas†43 52 Texas Rangers†49 57 Texas Rangers†52 47 Texas Rangers42 43 Boston Red SoxDavid Ortiz†41 48 New York Yankees†47 †54 Boston Red Sox44 54 New York Yankees4637 Detroit Tigers36 Mark Teixeira39 Tampa Bay RaysNew York YankeesAaron Hill3654Toronto Blue Jays3943Toronto Blue Jays4144Detroit Tigers4353Baltimore Orioles4440Baltimore Orioles3747Baltimore Orioles4447Baltimore Orioles4352New York Yankees4348Oakland Athletics4348Kansas City Royals4522New York Yankees19 48Toronto Blue Jays Kansas City Royals4662New York Yankees4044Los Angeles Angels3958New York Yankees4460Seattle Mariners53Pete Alonso43Baltimore Orioles42

National League

Year Winner(s) HR Team Runner(s)-up 2nd HR Ref Philadelphia Athletics (NL) Cincinnati Reds Providence Grays Boston Red Caps† Jim O'Rourke† Worcester Ruby LegsBoston Red Caps † Buffalo Bisons Detroit WolverinesDan Brouthers† †10 New York GiantsJoe Hornung 27 Chicago White Stockings25 11 Chicago White Stockings† †Hardy Richardson11 Detroit Wolverines†10 19 Washington Nationals†17 16 Chicago White Stockings†14 †20 Philadelphia Quakers18 Mike TiernanWalt Wilmot13 Brooklyn BridegroomsNew York GiantsChicago Colts Harry Stovey16 New York GiantsBoston Beaneaters11 13 Cincinnati Reds†12 †19 Philadelphia Phillies17 †18 Boston BeaneatersBobby Lowe17 †18 Philadelphia Phillies17 †Ed Delahanty†13 Washington/New York Philadelphia Phillies†12†11 Boston Beaneaters†10 †15 Boston BeaneatersHonus Wagner†10 25Washington Senators12 12Boston Beaneaters†11 †16 Cincinnati Reds11 Pittsburgh Pirates† Brooklyn SuperbasTommy LeachMike DonlinSam MertesCy SeymourGinger Beaumont Brooklyn Superbas Cincinnati Reds 12 Brooklyn Superbas 10 Boston Doves 12Brooklyn Superbas†10 New York GiantsTommy LeachLarry Doyle Fred Beck10 Chicago CubsBoston DovesLarry Doyle 21 Chicago Cubs16 14 Chicago Cubs12 19 Philadelphia Phillies18 19 Philadelphia Phillies18 24 Philadelphia Phillies13 Dave Robertson12 Chicago CubsNew York Giants11 Dave Robertson12 Philadelphia PhilliesNew York Giants† Philadelphia PhilliesCy Williams 12 Philadelphia Phillies10 15 Philadelphia Phillies14 †23 New York Giants†21 †42 St. Louis Cardinals26 41 Philadelphia Phillies22 27Brooklyn Robins†25 †39 St. Louis Cardinals24 †21 Chicago Cubs†19 1927Hack Wilson†30Philadelphia PhilliesChicago Cubs†26†Jim Bottomley†31 Chicago CubsSt. Louis Cardinals27 †43 Philadelphia Phillies†42†56 Chicago Cubs40 †31Philadelphia Phillies†29 ††38 Philadelphia PhilliesNew York Giants†28 †28 Philadelphia Phillies27 †Ripper Collins35 New York GiantsSt. Louis Cardinals34 34 Boston Braves†31 †33 New York Giants28 †Joe Medwick†31 New York GiantsSt. Louis Cardinals27 †36 New York Giants30 †28 St. Louis Cardinals†27 †43 St. Louis Cardinals25 34 Brooklyn Dodgers†27 †30 New York GiantsJohnny Mize26 29 Chicago Cubs†18 33 Chicago Cubs†2628 Boston Braves25 †23 Pittsburgh Pirates†22†Johnny Mize†51 Pittsburgh PiratesNew York Giants36 †Johnny Mize†40 Pittsburgh PiratesNew York Giants†39 †54 Pittsburgh Pirates†36 †47 Pittsburgh Pirates36 †42 Pittsburgh Pirates†40 †Hank Sauer37 Pittsburgh PiratesChicago Cubs†32 †47Milwaukee Braves†42 49 Cincinnati Redlegs†42 †51 New York Giants47 †43 Brooklyn DodgersFrank Robinson†38†44 Milwaukee Braves†43 †47Chicago Cubs35 †46 Milwaukee Braves†45 †41 Chicago Cubs†40 †46San Francisco Giants†40†49San Francisco Giants†45†Hank Aaron†44San Francisco GiantsMilwaukee Braves†38 †47 San Francisco Giants†33 †52 San Francisco Giants†39 †44 Atlanta Braves†40 †39 Atlanta Braves37 †36 San Francisco Giants†33 †45 San Francisco Giants†44 †45 Cincinnati Reds†42 †48 Pittsburgh Pirates†47 †40 Cincinnati Reds38 †44 Pittsburgh Pirates43 †36 Philadelphia Phillies†33 †38 Philadelphia Phillies36 †38Philadelphia Phillies37 52 Cincinnati Reds41 40 Cincinnati Reds35 48 Chicago Cubs†45 †48 Philadelphia Phillies35 †31 Philadelphia Phillies†24 37 New York Mets36 †40 Philadelphia Phillies36 †Dale Murphy36 Philadelphia PhilliesAtlanta Braves†27 37 Atlanta Braves†34 †37 Philadelphia PhilliesDave Parker†31 †49 Chicago Cubs44 39 New York Mets30 47San Francisco Giants36 †40 Chicago Cubs37 38New York Mets34†35 San Diego Padres34 46 San Francisco Giants40 43 San Francisco Giants†39 40Colorado Rockies†Sammy Sosa36 47 Colorado RockiesGary Sheffield42 †49 Colorado Rockies†43 70 St. Louis Cardinals66 65 St. Louis Cardinals63 50 Chicago Cubs49 73 San Francisco Giants64 49 Chicago Cubs46 †47Philadelphia PhilliesBarry Bonds45 †48Los Angeles DodgersAlbert Pujols46†51 Atlanta Braves4658 Philadelphia Phillies49 50 Milwaukee Brewers47 48 Philadelphia Phillies40 47 St. Louis Cardinals46 42St. Louis Cardinals3839Los Angeles Dodgers3841Milwaukee Brewers37Paul Goldschmidt36Pittsburgh PiratesArizona Diamondbacks3037Miami Marlins32Bryce Harper42Colorado RockiesWashington Nationals4041Colorado RockiesMilwaukee Brewers3959Miami Marlins3938Colorado Rockies3753New York Mets4918Atlanta Braves1742San Diego Padres3846Philadelphia Phillies4054Atlanta Braves4754Los Angeles Dodgers3956Philadelphia Phillies5545Philadelphia Phillies Chicago Cubs41

Other major leagues