It’s no secret home runs have gone up across Major League Baseball over the last 20 years. For reference, 5.017 home runs were hit between the 30 MLB teams in 2005. Fast forward to 2024, and that number went up to 5,453. But which pitchers have been on the unfortunate end of the category all-time?
Who’s given up the most home runs in MLB history?
That honor would go to Jamie Moyer, who gave up 522 career home runs throughout his MLB career.
It shouldn’t be a surprise to see Moyer on this list, given he pitched in 25 Major League seasons. And Moyer did concede a lot of home runs on a yearly basis, as opposing hitters got at least 20 off him in 17 of those years.
Moyer gave up 30 or more home runs three times, including in 2004 with the Mariners when he conceded a league-high 44 home runs.
Pitchers with Most Home Runs Allowed in MLB History
Here’s a look at the top-15 in MLB history, in terms of home runs allowed:
| Name | Years Played | Total Home Runs Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Jamie Moyer | 25 | 522 |
| Robin Roberts | 19 | 505 |
| Fergie Jenkins | 19 | 484 |
| Phil Niekro | 24 | 482 |
| Don Sutton | 23 | 472 |
| Frank Tanana | 21 | 448 |
| Bartolo Colon | 21 | 439 |
| Warren Spahn | 21 | 434 |
| Bert Blyleven | 22 | 430 |
| Tim Wakefield | 19 | 418 |
| Steve Carlton | 24 | 414 |
| Randy Johnson | 22 | 411 |
| David Wells | 21 | 407 |
| Gaylord Perry | 22 | 399 |
| Jim Kaat | 25 | 395 |
In a sense, being on this list can be considered a badge of honor. Every pitcher on the top-15 played in at least 19 MLB seasons, with Carlton (24) and Moyer (25) leading the charge. Not to mention, more than half of the names listed above are Baseball Hall of Famers and names who could be considered some of the greatest pitchers of all-time.
It takes longevity to make it up this list.
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