Fansided

Top 25 MLB batting seasons of all time

By Joshua Sadlock

American baseball player George Herman Ruth (1895 - 1948) known as 'Babe' Ruth. (Photo by MPI/Getty Images)
American baseball player George Herman Ruth (1895 - 1948) known as 'Babe' Ruth. (Photo by MPI/Getty Images) /
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Apr 16, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard (6) watches his pop up during the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. The Nationals defeated the Phillies, 8-1. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard (6) watches his pop up during the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. The Nationals defeated the Phillies, 8-1. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

19. Ryan Howard, 2006

  • The Numbers: .313/.425/.659, 58 homers, 149 RBI, 383 total bases

Ryan Howard followed up his Rookie of the Year from 2005 with an epic season that ended with him being named the NL MVP. His first full season in the big leagues was one of the best power seasons after the introduction of steroid testing. No player has hit more home runs in a season since MLB began testing for drugs and issuing suspensions in 2005.

In 2006, the league had not figured out the holes in Howard’s swing. The extreme infield shifts had not become popular, either. Howard would become the first prominent victim of the shift, and he would never approach a .300 batting average after 2006.

Howard split his home runs evenly — 29 at home in hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, 29 on the road. He was at his best in the second half, batting .355/.509/.751with 30 home runs. As the Phillies fought for a playoff spot, Howard slugged .750 in both August and September with 23 total home runs and 62 RBI. He drove in 41 runs in the month of August alone, and finished the year one short of 150 knocked in.

Though Howard would lead MLB in home runs again in 2008, and had two more RBI crowns, his career would take a steep decline after he injured his Achilles in 2011. Howard was never the same after losing most of his lower body strength due to injury. He hit 286 home runs in his first eight years in the big leagues, but would finish with only 382, assuming he does not find another team to give him a shot.

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