How Common Is The Triple Play In Baseball?

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Mike

Did you see the defensive gem by the Oakland A’s tonight?

The Athletics turned a triple play in the 5th inning to shut down a potential rally by the Minnesota Twins and win the game 4-1.

Check it out here:

A\’s Turn Triple Play

But it got me wondering: how many triple plays have occurred in Major League Baseball?

The answer is: 690, according to the Society for American Baseball Research:

Triple Plays by Year

Last year there were 4 triple plays recorded — and the same number in 2010. In 2009, baseball fans saw 5 triple plays, but just two in 2008.

There were 20 triple plays in 1890, but just one in 2005. And 1961 was the only year with no triple plays at all.

About Mike

Mike Luery is an award-winning journalist with 25 years on TV and radio. Currently, he is the political reporter for KCRA-TV, the top-ranked station in Sacramento. This is Luery's second tour of duty with KCRA, where he was also a reporter from 1984 - 2000. In between, he was NBC's Capitol Bureau Chief in California and a reporter for CBS 13 in Sacramento. Luery lives in northern California with his wife Carol. Baseball Between Us is his first book.
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