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I have the greatest respect for players like Brock, Pujols and Musial who got 3,000 hits and especially Brock and Musial who had zero games at DH. Pujols was great but with over 600 games at DH he is borderline as to whether he could have reached 3,000 with the days of resting on the bench and only batting.

Current active hits list.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/lead ... tive.shtml

Altuve and Freeman appear to be the most likely to get there. Freeman is 35 and on pace to get 158 hits this season. Currently 638 shy of 3,000. He is slightly more than 4 years away from reaching 3,000. 4 years and games to be exact at his current pace and he has only played 3 games in his career at DH. Around this time of year in 2029 at this pace he would get to 3,000. His contract with the Dodgers runs out after the 2027 season.

Assuming he stays healthy and another team signs him or the Dodgers extend him he could get there.

Altuve is also 35 needs 665 hits to get to 3,000 and on pace to get 168 this season. He is playing more games because he is able to DH in Houston whereas the Dodgers have Ohtani at DH so when Freeman needs a day off he sits and gets no plate appearances. At that pace Altuve needs slightly under 4 years to get to 3,000. 3 years and 154 games to be exact. Although he does DH - 23 games this season - when he plays the field he is in LF and 2B with a greater chance of injury than Freeman at 1B. His contract in Houston runs through 2029.

I think they both have a legitimate chance to get to 3,000. The only other player I see on that list with an outside chance is Machado but he is still 1,000 hits away at age 32.

I think Altuve comes up short.

Beahahahahaha!

I think all three get close. Altuve strikes me as the kind of guy that wants it the most, so maybe he lingers a couple years longer to get it done. Freeman turns 36 in a few weeks and has to deal with Ohtani at DH. Altuve and Freeman are such good, consistent hitters and have their team supporting them.

Machado rarely gets more than 160 hits per year, and at age 33 won't get much better. Probably comes up short.

Mookie Betts
Bobby Witt
Juan Soto

An Old Friend wrote: ↑21 Jul 2025 16:54 pm Mookie Betts
Bobby Witt
Juan Soto

Witt is a good pick. I don't think Soda will do it, because he's not going to have many seasons with high hit totals like near 200. With all the walks and his approach, he's going to be getting around 150 hits most seasons. You know Bonds didn't even make 3,000, similar approach. And you know what I want to see Soto have some seasons hitting .320 or .330, because it seemed like he had that skill early in his career. I want to see him hit 45+ hr and 125+ rbi several times in his career. The types of seasons he's having lately are well above average but a let down based on how he came into the league. Right now he's like a top 20 mlb hitter. He is supposed to be top 3.

imadangman wrote: ↑21 Jul 2025 17:12 pm

An Old Friend wrote: ↑21 Jul 2025 16:54 pm Mookie Betts
Bobby Witt
Juan Soto

Witt is a good pick. I don't think Soda will do it, because he's not going to have many seasons with high hit totals like near 200. With all the walks and his approach, he's going to be getting around 150 hits most seasons. You know Bonds didn't even make 3,000, similar approach. And you know what I want to see Soto have some seasons hitting .320 or .330, because it seemed like he had that skill early in his career. I want to see him hit 45+ hr and 125+ rbi several times in his career. The types of seasons he's having lately are well above average but a let down based on how he came into the league. Right now he's like a top 20 mlb hitter. He is supposed to be top 3.

I think he’s solidly top 5. I’ll put some thought to it… but who are we talking about here? Judge, Ohtani… I think I’d put Soto 3, Acuna 4?

If I was starting a MLB team today and age/contract didn't matter, I would rate my draft:

1. Judge
2. Ohtani
3. Accuna
4 Witt
5. Soto
6. Tatis
7. J Ramirez

HM: De La Cruz, Machado, Tucker, Harper

Soto draws so many walks that he isn't likely to get close to 3,000 hits IMHO.

He would have to have one extremely healthy and long career.

My pick is Machado

Just got to 2,000 and just turned 33 years old.

He's not likely to fall off anytime soon and is signed until he's 40 (8 more seasons).

Would need to average 125 hits a season over that span

vegascardsfan5890 wrote: ↑21 Jul 2025 18:30 pm My pick is Machado

Just got to 2,000 and just turned 33 years old.

He's not likely to fall off anytime soon and is signed until he's 40 (8 more seasons).

Would need to average 125 hits a season over that span

I hadn't looked him up on baseball reference but I agree if he can stay healthy long enough. I didn't realize how durable he has been.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... ma01.shtml

600+ plate appearances nearly every year. Great example of how hard it is to accomplish. He is closing in on 8,000 plate appearances and has 2,000 hits. Needs another 4,000 plate appearances to get to 3,000. That's a grind and he doesn't DH much. He must work out and keep himself in great shape.

Freeman will end this season needing fewer than 600 hits to reach 3000. That's four more seasons with 150 hits or five with 120. I can easily see him reaching those totals, especially with the universal DH. Freddie reaches 3000.

russellhammond wrote: ↑21 Jul 2025 19:35 pm Freeman will end this season needing fewer than 600 hits to reach 3000. That's four more seasons with 150 hits or five with 120. I can easily see him reaching those totals, especially with the universal DH. Freddie reaches 3000.

I agree although not sure it will be with the Dodgers. They aren't going to move Ohtani out of the DH.

cardstatman wrote: ↑21 Jul 2025 18:28 pm Soto draws so many walks that he isn't likely to get close to 3,000 hits IMHO.

He would have to have one extremely healthy and long career.

True, as he likely ends up top 10 all time in walks.

9 of the top 30 all time in walks also have 3,000 hits, but I think just 2 of the top 10.

He’s got 14 years left on his contract and would need to average about 137 hits a year to get there.

Alec Burelson

nm