Most home runs in a MLB season: Where Cal Raleigh's 2025 HR total ranks in baseball history

Daniel Chavkin

Most home runs in a MLB season: Where Cal Raleigh's 2025 HR total ranks in baseball history image

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Some of the most exciting moments in Major League Baseball history have been centered around the home run, a play that represents the biggest impact one hitter can have in a game.

As baseball is also a sport filled with numbers, players' abilities to hit a round-number of home runs in a season can be defining of their legacies. Every 10 home runs a player hits, that hitter reaches a milestone for that season and, potentially, his career.

Of course, the exclusive home run clubs belong to those who hit 50, 60 or 70 homers in a season, respectively, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is the latest player to put his name in the record-books, totaling 60 homers during his impressive 2025 season.

With Raleigh's incredible year, here's a breakdown of the MLB home run records and where Raleigh falls in baseball history.

MORE: Most home runs by a catcher in MLB history

What is the most home runs in a single MLB season?

The most home runs that any player has hit in a season is 73. Only two players have even reached 70 home runs in a season.

In 1927, Babe Ruth hit 60 homers in a season, which set a record that stood until 1961, when Roger Maris hit 61 in a single season. Maris' number remained the record until 1998, when McGwire and Sammy Sosa both broke it in the same season.

MORE: Who are MLB's 50-50 club members?

MLB single season home run record

Barry Bonds had a magical season in 2001 for the San Francisco Giants, totaling 73 home runs to set the all-time single season record. Bonds, who would go on to set the all-time home-run record in 2007, was a force in 2001 as he produced a career-high .863 slugging percentage and one of four-straight seasons with an OPS above 1.275.

After becoming the second player in MLB history to hit 70 home runs, tying Mark McGwire's record, Bonds broke the record against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers on ESPN.

Amazingly, that was the only season in which Bonds produced at least 50 home runs, as he failed to reach that mark in every other year of his career. But 2001 would go down as his best season in many statistical categories including home runs, bWAR, and RBIS.

In fact, that season was so special that Bonds felt the impact over the next three season, when he was intentionally walked 249 times.

MOREMost home runs in an MLB Game, from Lou Gehrig to Kyle Schwarber

Most home runs in a MLB season by player

In MLB history, twice has a player hit at least 70 homers, 10 times did someone reach 60 homers and 23 times did a hitter finish with at least 55 home runs. However, Babe Ruth, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr. and Aaron Judge are the only players to hit at least 55 home runs in a season multiple times. 

RankPlayerYearAgeHome Runs
1.Barry Bonds20013673
2.Mark McGwire19983470
3.Sammy Sosa19982966
4.Mark McGwire19993565
5.Sammy Sosa20013264
6.Sammy Sosa19993063
7.Aaron Judge20223062
8.Roger Maris19612661
T-9.Cal Raleigh20252860
T-9Babe Ruth19273260
T-11.Babe Ruth19212659
T-11.Giancarlo Stanton20172759
T-13.Jimmie Foxx19322458
T-13.Hank Greenberg19382758
T-13.Mark McGwire19973358
T-13.Ryan Howard20062658
T-13.Aaron Judge20243258
T-18.Luis Gonzalez20013357
T-18.Alex Rodriguez20022657
T-20.Hack Wilson19303056
T-20.Ken Griffey Jr.19972756
T-20.Ken Griffey Jr.19982856
T-20.Kyle Schwarber20253256

MORE: The list of most home runs ever hit before the MLB All-Star break

Most home runs in MLB 2025

  • Cal Raleigh: 60
  • Kyle Schwarber: 56
  • Shohei Ohtani: 53
  • Aaron Judge: 52
  • Eugenio Suarez: 48

Raleigh produced the seventh 60-homer season in MLB history in 2025, allowing him to lead the league in home runs for the first time in his career. Trailing him was Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who was incredible leading into free agency.

Of course, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees are on this list as the two biggest names in the sport. Finally, Eugenio Suarez's strong first half with the Arizona Diamondbacks before getting traded to the Mariners helped him get the final spot in the top five.

MORE: A breakdown of the longest homers in Home Run Derby history

Most home runs in a MLB season, by team

TeamPlayerYearHome Runs
Arizona DiamondbacksLuis Gonzalez200157
AthleticsJimmie Foxx193258
Atlanta BravesMatt Olson202354
Baltimore OriolesChris Davis201353
Boston Red SoxDavid Ortiz200654
Chicago CubsSammy Sosa199866
Chicago White SoxAlbert Belle199849
Cincinnati RedsGeorge Foster197752
Cleveland GuardiansJim Thome200252
Colorado RockiesLarry Walker, Todd Helton1997, 200149
Detroit TigersHank Greenberg193858
Houston AstrosJeff Bagwell200047
Kansas City RoyalsJorge Soler, Salvador Perez2019, 202148
Los Angeles AngelsTroy Glaus200047
Los Angeles DodgersShohei Ohtani202454
Miami MarlinsGiancarlo Stanton201759
Milwaukee BrewersPrince Fielder200750
Minnesota TwinsHarmon Killebrew1964, 196949
New York MetsPete Alonso201953
New York YankeesAaron Judge202262
Philadelphia PhilliesRyan Howard200658
Pittsburgh PiratesRalph Kiner194954
San Diego PadresGreg Vaughn199850
San Francisco GiantsBarry Bonds200173
Seattle MarinersCal Raleigh202560
St. Louis CardinalsMark McGwire199870
Tampa Bay RaysCarlos Pena200746
Texas RangersAlex Rodriguez200257
Toronto Blue JaysJose Bautista201054
Washington NationalsAlfonso Soriano200646

Of the 30 MLB teams, 22 have had a player hit 50 home runs in a season, while only five had a player hit 60 in a year. The Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals, on the other hand, are tied for the lowest team-high total with 46 homers each.

MORE: Ranking the 13 greatest Home Run Derby performances in history

Who has hit more than 60 home runs in a season?

  • Barry Bonds (73)
  • Mark McGwire (70, 65)
  • Sammy Sosa (66, 64, 63)
  • Aaron Judge (62)
  • Roger Maris (61)
  • Babe Ruth (60)
  • Cal Raleigh (60)

Only seven players in MLB history have hit 60 home runs in a season, showing how rare of a feat it is in baseball. Of those seven players, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire are the only two players to hit 60 homers in a season multiple times, as Sosa did it three times and McGwire twice.

MORE: Most home runs by a switch hitter in MLB history

Most team home runs in a MLB season

As home runs have become more prevalent, teams have been able to produce more over the course of a full season. Every team that hit at least 250 in a season did so since 1996, and six did it in 2019 alone. That year was known for MLB's use of the juiced ball, which allowed the ball to carry more and resulted in more home runs across the league.

Still, teams value home runs now more than ever before, resulting in more recent teams being on this list than older teams.

RankTeamYearHome RunsTeam Leader
T-1.Twins2019307Nelson Cruz (41)
T-1.Braves2023307Matt Olson (54)
3.Yankees2019306Gleyber Torres (38)
4.Astros2019288Alex Bregman (41)
5.Dodgers2018279Cody Bellinger (47)
6.Yankees2018267Giancarlo Stanton (38)
7.Yankees2025266Aaron Judge (51)
8.Mariners1997264Ken Griffey Jr. (56)
9.Blue Jays2021262Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (48)
10.Rangers2005260Mark Teixeira (43)
T-11.Orioles1996257Brady Anderson (50)
T-11.Blue Jays2010257Jose Bautista (54)
T-11.Athletics2019257Matt Olson/Matt Chapman (36)
14.Cubs2019256Kyle Schwarber (38)
15.Yankees2022254Aaron Judge (62)
16.Orioles2016253Mark Trumbo (47)
17.Brewers2019250Christian Yelich (44)

MORE: Inside MLB's all-time home run leaderboard

Daniel Chavkin

Daniel Chavkin is a Digital Content Producer for The Sporting News. A 2018 graduate from the University of Maryland, he has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports and NFLTradeRumors.com.