The most unbreakable records in MLB history: 2,795 Walks
Nolan Ryan is safely in the conversation for the greatest pitcher of all time. He has eight All-Star appearances to his name, two ERA titles, played a major part in the New York Mets winning the 1969 World Series, and as you can tell by our list so far, he has some of the most unbreakable records in MLB history.
But, with so many gaudy numbers and jaw-dropping records, there were a few flaws to his game. The most glaring, was the number of batters he allowed to make it safely to first base. Throughout his Hall of Fame career, Ryan racked up 2,795 walks. That number is by far the most in history. The second highest is almost 1,000 away with 1,833 by pitcher Steve Carlton.
Ryan had just about every pitch in his tool bag. You needed someone who could zip the ball right by a batter before they could react? Ryan had you covered. How about a pitcher who could fool someone with a mean curveball? Ryan perfected that. It didn’t matter what pitch was needed from him, Ryan could dish them all out. But at times, he lost his target and the balls leaked past the strike zone.
On eight separate occasions, Ryan led the majors in walks. Even when he was in his prime and leading the league in strikeouts, he was likely going to lead it in walks as well. In the end, it doesn’t take away from his greatness but just like his other records on here, we find it impossible for anyone to surpass the number of walks he aggregated during his career.