25 records that were broken during the 2026 MLB season

The Nationals exceeded expectations by winning 77 games, but the merry-go-round bullpen held them back. They never had a set closer and finished with a record-breaking 42 blown saves, surpassing the previous record of 37 held by the 2024 Chicago Cubs.

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson had an injury-plagued season, but it was also notable. He broke the shortstop error-free games record with 113, a mark he began in July of 2025. Mike Bordick previously held the record with 110 error-free games in 2002.

The Dodgers' seemingly limitless spending is certainly drawing fans through the turnstiles at UNIQLO Field. The star power from Shohei Ohtani and company drew a record 4,034,219 fans (49,805 per game), breaking their previous record set in 2025.

Jo Adell had a whirlwind year, hitting 23 home runs for the Angels and Guardians. Along the way, he became the first player in the Statcast era (since 2015) to hit the longest home run for two different teams in the same season. He hit a 449-foot shot for the Angels in May, and then a 455-foot long ball with the Guardians in August

In the Minnesota Twins' long history, dating back to 1961, no pitcher had thrown an immaculate inning until this year. Taj Bradley accomplished the feat, striking out three batters in nine pitches against the Athletics on August 25. He finished with a career year, going 12-6 with a 3.73 ERA in 31 starts.

Misiorowski had an incredible 2026, on track for a likely Cy Young Award. Among his eye-popping numbers was a record 1,115 pitches at 100-plus miles per hour. Jordan Hicks previously held the record with 673 100-plus pitches for the Cardinals in 2018.

Misiorowski threw the fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher using Statcast (since 2008), reaching 105.5 mph against the Cubs on June 26. He also threw the second-fastest pitch (104.5 mph). Angels reliever Ben Joyce threw the fastest overall pitch in 2024 (105.8 mph).

Adding to Misiorowski's incredible 2026 records, he produced a record-breaking .157 batting average against. The previous record was held by Freddy Peralta (.165) in 2021.

Montgomery's first full MLB season had its share of highs and lows. He launched 31 home runs, but he also broke the single-season record for strikeouts (227), breaking the old record of 223 strikeouts held by Mark Reynolds in 2009.

Kurtz's 2026 season was cut short by injury, but the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year made his mark before it happened. He reached base safely in 48 consecutive games, breaking Mark McGwire's 1996 franchise record.

Perez is a legendary Royal, and he only added to his legend in 2026. He's now the franchise's all-time home run leader with 324 home runs, surpassing George Brett (317).

While Chicago fell one game short of winning the AL Central, their 2026 turnaround was truly remarkable. They became the first team to make the playoffs after consecutive 100-loss seasons, with a young group that showed consistency from start to finish.

The Phillies have been around since 1883, so setting any franchise record is amazing. Cristopher Sanchez set the franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings at 50.2 innings, surpassing Grover Cleveland Alexander's previous record of 41 scoreless innings in 1911. It was also the longest record by a left-handed pitcher and the fifth-longest overall streak.

The numbers back up the claim that pitchers are throwing harder than ever, and by a wide margin. Pitchers threw 5,687 pitches at 100-plus mph, surpassing the 2023 record of 3,880. Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski accounted for 1,115 of the pitches in 2026.

Pete Alonso signed with the Orioles before the 2026 season, becoming the first player in MLB history to win the RBI title in both leagues. He led the NL with 131 RBI in 2022 as a Met and led the AL with 113 RBI this season.

The Guardians have probably started sculpting Jose Ramirez's statue, and he accomplished another incredible feat in 2026. He became the first player in franchise history to hit a home run against 29 different franchises after hitting one against the Braves on April 11.

Moreno won the NL Batting Title by hitting .311. In doing so, he became the first Diamondbacks player to win the Batting Title and the fifth catcher to do so.

Simpson sure leans into his strengths. The speedster hit .306 with zero home runs, becoming the first player since Luis Castillo in 1999 to do so.

Rogers had quite the three weeks, appearing with four different franchises in 21 days. The catcher was traded from the Tigers to the Orioles on July 30, then from Baltimore to Boston on August 3, then claimed off waivers by the White Sox, and made his first appearance on August 15. The previous record for fewest days appearing with four different teams was 42, accomplished by Frank Huelsman in 1904.

Tony Vitello had a rough first season as Giants manager, winning only 65 games. They tied the 2025 Braves by using 71 different players in 2026, clearly reflecting the team's injuries and futility. 

Monetary records keep breaking in pro sports as teams are bought and sold. MLB set two new records in 2026 when Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones purchased the Padres for $3.9 billion. That record didn't stand for long, as Stan Kroenke later purchased the Angels for $4 billion.

The average MLB salary in 2026 was $5.34 million, a 3.4% increase from 2025. Player salaries will be a hot topic heading into the offseason, with a potential lockout that threatens the 2027 season.

Soto was once again the highest-paid player in MLB during 2026, drawing $61.9 million. It was only the second year of his record-breaking 15-year contract, but it was also a year Soto would like to forget after multiple IL stints and only 111 games played.

Athleticism was on full display in the minor leagues in 2026, as a record 59 players went 20-20 (20 home runs, 20 stolen bases). Only 16 players accomplished the feat in 2025, and the entire 2010s saw only 60 players go 20-20.

The Triple-A PCL Salt Lake Bees broke a minor league record with 746 walks in 2026. The Angels affiliate broke the record previously held by the 2022 Oklahoma City Dodgers (731).