91 Things That Never Happened in Baseball Until 2016

Author:
Athlon Sports
Publish date:
Feb 22, 2017

The 2016 MLB season will forever be remembered for the Chicago Cubs winning their first World Series title in more than a century. But that historic ending was just one of numerous baseball “firsts” that occurred last season. Here is a rundown of all the history that was made on the diamond in 2016.

2016 was the first time in baseball history that a team...

» Won an Opening Day shutout by a margin of as many as 15 runs (Dodgers).

» Was victorious on Opening Day despite getting just one hit (Rangers).

» Was shut out in its first three games of a season and/or in five of the first 10 (Padres).

» Had more strikeouts than hits in each of its first nine games of a season (Twins).

» Hit three pinch-hit home runs in one game (Cardinals).

» Won four consecutive contests after losing its first nine of a season (Braves, Twins).

» Had two starters with three or more wins and a sub-1.00 ERA 20 games into a season (Cubs, Jake Arrieta and Jason Hammel).

» Used three pitchers who failed to record an out, yet finished with a shutout (Marlins).

» Lost a home game despite erasing deficits in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings (Pirates).

» Was saddled with a bullpen that allowed a run in 23 consecutive games (Reds).

» Got home runs from its first two batters of a game, both of whom were 22 or younger (Rangers, Rougned Odor and Nomar Mazara).

» Had four players simultaneously carrying 12-game hitting streaks in home games (Red Sox).

» Got a home run from two Canadian-born players in the same game (Blue Jays, Michael Saunders and Russell Martin).

» Gleaned 52 strikeouts from its pitchers in a three-game series (Astros vs. Orioles).

» Compiled a slugging percentage as high as 1.2051 in a game (Rockies).

» Received multiple-home run performances from four different players in four successive games (Mariners).

» Lost a game despite hitting six more homers than its opponent (White Sox vs. Blue Jays).

» Assembled a streak of 41 strikeouts between walks from its bullpen (Yankees).

» Turned a 3-3-5 triple play (Nationals).

» Got a home run from all four infielders and an assist from all three outfielders in the same game (Indians).

» Struck out 61 opposition batters in a four-game series (Astros vs. Blue Jays).

» Allowed exactly one run, each via a solo homer, in four consecutive contests (Royals).

» Hit four home runs in a game before making an out (Orioles, who lost anyway).

» Collected 17 pinch-hit homers (Cardinals).

» Put 28 players on the disabled list (Dodgers — including Andre Ethier, who broke his leg during spring training).

» Won 76.6 percent of its one-run games (Rangers).

» Connected on multiple home runs in the first inning of three straight games (Angels).

» Allowed 103 home runs by its relievers and/or 258 by its entire staff (Reds).

» Utilized nine pitchers in a shutout of nine or more innings (Indians).

» Won a game in which it overcame multiple two-run deficits with home runs in the ninth inning and later (Mets over Phillies).

» Struck out 1,543 times in one season (Brewers).

» Prevailed in 10 straight win-or-go-home postseason games (Giants).

» Received its first complete game of the year in a postseason contest (Blue Jays, Marco Estrada).

» Threw five shutouts in a single postseason (Indians).

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