Just 48 players had ever managed an on-base streak of at least 50 games entering the 2026 season, but Shohei Ohtani made that 49. The Dodgers’ two-way superstar reached base in 53 consecutive games, by either a walk or a hit, after an infield single in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants on Apr. 21. On Apr. 22, however, that streak came to an end.
The streak began on Aug. 24, 2025, and through Apr. 21 Ohtani hit .279/.399/.583 with 57 hits — 16 of them home runs — 39 walks, nine intentional free passes and three hit by pitches. On Tuesday in the series opener against the Giants, Ohtani pushed the streak to 53 games, tying him with Alex Rodriguez as well as four other players who have managed the same, a group that includes the likes of Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig and Tris Speaker.
That tied Ohtani for the 23rd-longest on-base streak in MLB history, as well as the second-longest in Dodgers’ history alongside Shawn Green.
Ahead of Ohtani is Luke Appling, alone at 22nd, with 54. Three others — Hall of Famers Stan Musial, Harry Heilmann and Cobb again — are tied for 19th at 55. Five players are tied at 56-straight games, including modern-day legend Barry Bonds. And reaching base for 57 games in a row would have put Ohtani into the top 10 all-time.
There comes a point where it becomes much more difficult for anyone to climb this leaderboard. Orlando Cabrera is fourth with 63 consecutive games, achieved in 2006. Ahead of the former shortstop, though, is Hall of Famer and Red Sox great Ted Williams with a 73-game on-base streak achieved in 1941, DiMaggio again with his top mark of 74 — also achieved in 1941, as part of his 56-game hitting streak — and then Williams in 1949, when he reached base in a absurd 84-straight games. Williams would bat .343/.490/.650 for the season, and win his second of two MVP awards.
Here are the top 25 on-base streaks in MLB history.
Streak data via Baseball-Reference