Tapp-ing Into The Numbers: Players Who Have Had Multiple Games Of 3 HRs

Earlier this week Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets slugged three home runs in a game versus the Phillies. He became the first player with three long balls in a game this season, and he became the first Mets player in history to have two or more games with three (or more) homers in a career.

Since 1913 there have been 103 players who have hit three or more home runs in a game multiple times. Topping this list are Sammy Sosa and Johnny Mize who each did it six times, and a quintet of players (Alex Rodriguez, Mark McGwire, Dave Kingman, Carlos Delgado and Joe Carter) who did it in five games.

As mentioned above, Cespedes became the first Mets player to have three or more HRs in multiple games. There are now three teams (Braves, Marlins and Twins) who have never had a player hit three or more HRs in multiple games. The Chicago Cubs lead the majors with six different players who have slugged three or more homers in multiple contests; the six: Sammy Sosa (six times), Ernie Banks (four times), Aramis Ramirez and Dave Kingman (each three times) and Alfonso Soriano and Hank Sauer (each twice).

Here’s a look at the number of players for each of the current 30 MLB franchises that hit three or more home runs in a game two or more times in their career with that franchise.

6: Cubs

5: Brewers, Giants, Indians, Red Sox, Reds, Yankees

4: A’s, Cardinals, Orioles, Pirates, Tigers

3: Dodgers, Rockies

2: Astros, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Mariners, Phillies, Rangers, Royals

1: Angels, Mets, Nationals/Expos*, Padres, Rays, White Sox

0: Braves, Marlins, Twins

• Nationals have zero; the Expos had one player.

A Brewers’ player has hit three or more home runs in a game 20 times in franchise history. It was accomplished by 14 different players. The last Brewers’ player to hit three home runs in a game was Aaron Hill last season on May 16 against the Cincinnati Reds, a 13-7 win for the Crew. The five Brewers’ players with multiple games with three or more HRs are Ben Oglivie (he did it three times with Milwaukee), and Geoff Jenkins, Jeromy Burnitz, Richie Sexson and Ryan Braun, who each did it twice in a Brewers’ uniform.

The 2001 Brewers are one of three teams in MLB history that had four games in a season where one of their players had three HRs or more. Burnitz did it twice in 2001; Sexson and Jenkins did it once that season. The other teams to have four games where one of their players hit three or more HRs were the 1956 Reds and the 1950 Brooklyn Dodgers.