A hit is the building block of hitting: the batter puts the ball in play and reaches base safely without the help of an error. Depending on how far he gets, a hit is scored as a single, a double or a triple (the home run is a case of its own).
The types of hit
- Single (1B): the batter reaches first base.
- Double (2B): he reaches second, usually on a ball into the corners or off the wall.
- Triple (3B): he reaches third; the rarest and most exciting hit, it takes both power and speed.
Career records
| Category | All-time record |
|---|---|
| Hits | Pete Rose, 4,256 |
| Doubles | Tris Speaker, 792 |
| Triples | Sam Crawford, 309 |
Examples with players
- Adrián Beltré topped 3,000 hits, a mark reserved for the all-time greats.
- Rod Carew and Tony Oliva were masters of the base hit and batting champions.
[Live data — MLB API] Current-season hits leaders: (filled in automatically).
Why they matter
Hits are the raw material of offense: they feed the batting average, the slugging percentage and the runs. Reaching 3,000 career hits is one of the great milestones that all but guarantees a spot in the Hall of Fame.
Related stats
Frequently asked questions
Why are triples so rare?
Because they demand both a deep hit and enough speed to make it all the way to third base.
Does reaching base on an error count as a hit?
No: if the batter reaches on a fielding error, he isn’t credited with a hit.
