The designated hitter position was introduced into Major League Baseball in 1973. Until 2022 it was only available to American League teams. National League teams could only utilize a designated hitter in away games at an AL team’s stadium during interleague play or in the World Series. Throughout the years we’ve seen a vast array of players at DH. More often than not the position is manned by big lumbering hitters that would be defensive liabilities in the field. Today’s game still has it’s fair share of those types of players but we’re seeing more and more teams use the DH as sort of a utility position to give their star players a mini off day by not having to play the field. After 51 years, yes just writing that makes me feel as old as I physically feel, we now have the universal DH in MLB. It has been highly debated over the years and especially recently with the NL finally adopting the position, whether or not the designated hitter actually added or subtracted to the sport. Somewhat less debatable is that the following list is comprised of The Top Designated Hitters…Of My Lifetime.

5. Paul Molitor

Paul Molitor was not your typical designated hitter. He didn’t hit for much power although he had some pop in his bat (234 career HRs). He wasn’t slow or plodding (504 career SBs). He was a solid and versatile defender with games played at all positions. aside from pitcher and catcher, during his career with a .970 career fielding percentage. Injury to his throwing elbow basically relegated Molitor to DH duties during the second half of his career and Molitor’s numbers would seem to suggest that he enjoyed the role. Those numbers included the aforementioned 234 home runs and 504 stolen bases to go along with 3319 career hits and a lifetime .306 batting average. Those totals make Molitor one of only five players in history with 3,000+ hits, a lifetime .300+ batting average and 500+ career stolen bases. The lofty offensive numbers led to Molitor making 7 All-Star games, winning 4 Silver Sluggers and being inducted into the Hall of Fame after hanging up his spikes in 1998.

4. Nelson Cruz

Much to the dismay of Ron Washington and Texas Rangers fans, Nelson Cruz was primarily a right fielder during the first half of his career. His defensive deficiency was on center stage in the bottom of the 9th during Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. With Texas hanging onto a 2-run lead with 2 outs, David Freese stepped to the plate and laced a ball to right field in Cruz’s direction. Cruz got a bad break on the ball and it sailed over his glove as he desperately dove to try and snag it. The tying runs scored and Freese struck again in the bottom of the 11th inning with a leadoff, walkoff homerun that forced a Game 7, which the Cardinals also won to take home the title. So it is probably a good thing that Cruz has played the majority of his games as a DH during his career, which so far has produced 7 All-Star appearances, 4 Silver Sluggers and 464 home runs. The past few seasons Cruz has been a hitter for hire bouncing around several MLB teams while blistering baseballs beyond the fence. He’s currently still swinging it for the San Diego Padres at the tender age of 43.

3. Edgar Martinez

Edgar Martinez was such a prolific designated hitter that they named the award for best DH after him. Since 2004 the annual award has been given to the most outstanding designated hitter. Martinez became synonymous with the position after playing roughly 3/4 of his career games as a DH. Most of those coming from 1995 until his retirement. While we’re on the subject of 1995 I’d be remiss not to talk about “The Double”, as it became known to Mariners fans. The Double is one of the most memorable plays in postseason history. It occurred with the Mariners down 5-4 in the bottom of the 11th inning of the deciding Game 5 of the 1995 ALDS against the New York Yankees. Martinez stepped to the plate and roped a double down the left field line and Ken Griffey Jr., who was on first at the time, flew around the bases and barely beat the throw, giving the Mariners the series victory and sending the team to the ALCS for the first time in franchise history. That play helped define Martinez’s career. It was also helped along by 7 All-Star games, 5 Silver Sluggers and 2 AL batting titles. It all culminated with a Hall of Fame induction in 2019. Much deserved for one of the best pure hitters, designated or otherwise that the game has ever seen.

2. Shohei Ohtani

If you read my very first blog post on starting pitchers you might remember seeing Shohei Ohtani cracking the list. And if you know me personally you probably know that I’m in firm belief that Ohtani is the best baseball player in history. The fact that he’s deserving of inclusion on these two very different lists is mind blowing. We’ve never seen a baseball player do what Shohei does. Think about the best player from your local Little League when you were a kid (shoutout to David Jones). He probably pitched once a week and struck out 9 or 10 guys while throwing a shutout and probably hit a homer or two in that game or the next. That is what Ohtani is doing at the MLB level against the best hitters and pitchers on the planet. He’s as good as any pitcher in the game when he’s at his best. He’s as good as any hitter in the game, period. At the time I’m writing this Ohtani leads the AL in the following hitting categories; triples (7) home runs (43) base on balls (75) on base percentage (.407) slugging percentage (.668) on-base plus slugging (1.075) ops+ (187) total bases (302) and intentional walks (16). He also has a 3.17 era and 165 ks while pitching. Just throwing that out there, I know this is a designated hitter post.

1. David Ortiz

Big Papi, David Ortiz had one of the best nicknames in baseball history and was one of the best hitters in baseball history. The designated hitter position made for Ortiz. Papi made his debut with the Twins in 1997 but didn’t truly come into his own until he made the move to Boston in 2003. He set new career highs with 31 homers and 101 rbis and the rest is baseball history. After finding his footing at Fenway Ortiz made 10 All-Star teams, won 7 Silver Slugger awards and led the Red Sox to 3 World Series titles, including the 2004 title that broke “The Curse of the Bambino.” Papi finished his career with a .286 lifetime batting average and 541 career home runs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022. Papi was the leader of the great Boston teams of the turn of the century. His on the field play coupled with his off the field personality made him one of the most beloved Red Sox players in history. Ortiz provided many memorable clutch postseason hits for Boston during his career but one of the things I remember him for the most is the speech he gave at Fenway Park following the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. “This is our fucking city!” He forever endeared himself to Boston fans and baseball fans everywhere. A giant of a man in the batter’s box and a giant of a man in life, David Ortiz is The Top Designated Hitter…Of My Lifetime.