MLB designated hitter statistics

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In Major League Baseball, the designated hitter (DH) is used in the batting lineup in place of the pitcher through a rule adopted by the American League in 1973. The DH rule has never been adopted by the National League.

When games are played between AL and NL teams, such as during the World Series or in interleague play (including the All-Star Game), the DH rule is recognized by both teams only when a NL team plays in an AL ballpark.

[edit] Facts

Ron Blomberg became the first DH in major league history (1973)
Tony Oliva became the first DH to hit a home run (1973)
Dan Driessen became the first National League DH, and the first to hit a home run in a World Series (Games 1 and 3, 1976)
Glenallen Hill became the first non-Series DH in NL history (interleague play, 1997)
Rickey Henderson became the first non-Series DH to hit a home run in NL history (interleague play, 1997)
Pedro Guerrerro became the first National League DH in an All-Star game (1989)Box score of the 1989 Baseball All-Star Game from Retrosheet
Minnie Miñoso is the oldest player to have appeared as a DH (at age 53, 1976)
Edgar Martinez is the only DH to win a batting title (1995)
Al Kaline became the first player selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame to have ever played as a DH (1974)
Rafael Palmeiro is the only DH to win a Gold Glove Award (despite playing only 28 games at first base, 1999)
Frank Howard has been the tallest DH (at 6 ft 7 in, 280 pounds (127 kg), 1973)
No player in MLB history has won the MVP Award during a season in which his primary position was designated hitter.

Only three players have won the MVP Award in years they played a significant amount of games as a DH. The first was Boston Red Sox outfielder Jim Rice, who in 1978 played as a DH in 49 of his 163 games (including the one-game playoff against the Yankees). In 1979, California Angels outfielder Don Baylor played 65 of his 162 games as a DH, and in 1996, Texas Rangers outfielder Juan González played 32 of his 134 games as a DH.