Ortiz Finishes Final Season By Leading MLB With 87 Extra-Base Hits

In the final season of his career, David Ortiz led all of baseball with 87 extra-base hits (an MLB-best 48 doubles, 38 home runs, and one triple).

This year is Big Papi's fifth season with more than 85 extra-base hits, with 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 being the other four seasons.

The only players with more than five such seasons are Lou Gehrig (8) and Babe Ruth (7). When you're on a short list that includes Babe and Lou, you've done something pretty goddamn special.

Players With 5+ Seasons With 85+ Extra-Base Hits

Lou Gehrig      8  (1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936)
Babe Ruth       7  (1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1930)
David Ortiz     5  (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2016)
Stan Musial     5  (1946, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1954)
Hank Greenberg  5  (1934, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1940)

The most extra-base hits in a season is 119 by Ruth in 1921. Gehrig had 117 in 1927. There is a significant drop-off to 107 for the third spot, which is shared by Barry Bonds (2001) and Chuck Klein (1930).

(The criminally underrated Gehrig did it seven times in eight seasons (1927-34). The only year in that period in which he did not get at least 85 extra-base hits was 1929, when he had 77.)

More Ortiz factoids:

Ortiz is the first player in history to lead MLB in slugging percentage in his final season.

Ortiz is the first player in history to lead MLB in OPS in his final season.

Ortiz is the first player in history to lead MLB in extra-base hits in his final season.

Ortiz is the first player in history with 35+ doubles and 25+ home runs after turning 40 years old.

Ortiz is the first player in history to hit 40+ doubles in one season after his 40th birthday.

Ortiz is the oldest player in history to hit 30+ homers in a season.

Ortiz hit 38 home runs, the most in history for any player in his final season.

Ortiz's .620 slugging percentage is the highest ever by a player his age or older. The record had been held by Cap Anson, who slugged .539, at age 42, in 1894.

Ortiz finished with a .401 on-base percentage, and is the oldest player with an OBP that high since Stan Musial in 1962.

Ortiz finished with a .315 batting average, and is the oldest player with an average that high since Stan Musial in 1962.

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The Red Sox have three players with 30+ HR in a season (Ortiz, Betts, Ramirez) for the second time in franchise history. Jim Rice, George Scott, and Butch Hobson did it in 1977.

The Red Sox have three players with at least 30 HR & 100 RBI in a season for the first time in franchise history (Ortiz, Betts, Ramirez).