K, GDP And CS, Oh My! The Worst Hitting, Running Days In History

While fiddling around with Baseball-Reference’s invaluable play index, we ran across one of the worst days of batting and baserunning a major leaguer has ever had.
On August 22, 2013 against the Nationals, Starlin Castro struck out three times, grounded into a double play once, and was caught stealing twice (after reaching on an error and via walk).
He is the only player in modern MLB history to ground into a double play at least once while striking out and getting caught stealing at least twice apiece. Nobody else has done it. Ever.
Given situational issues, it’s probably not accurate to say Castro had the worst hitting/baserunning day ever. For example, Kolten Wong pulling off a pinch-run walkoff TOOTBLAN in the World Series almost certainly surpasses Castro’s bad day in August while playing out the string.
Still, his performance that day was incredible.
Let’s put it in perspective:
Batters have struck out, GDP’d and been caught stealing at least once each in a game 1,123 times in modern baseball history.
Batters have struck out at least twice, GDP’d at least once and been caught stealing at least once just 149 times (including Castro).
Batters have struck out at least once, GDP’d at least once and been caught stealing at least twice just five times (including Castro):
Rk | Player | Date | Tm | Opp | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | BB | SO | HBP | GDP | SB | CS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Starlin Castro | 2013-08-22 | CHC | WSN | L 4-5 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
2 | Lance Johnson | 1990-07-14 | CHW | NYY | W 8-7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
3 | Elliott Maddox | 1978-07-30 | NYM | HOU | L 3-4 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
4 | Paul Blair | 1970-07-01 | BAL | CLE | W 3-0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
5 | Tommie Agee | 1969-09-05 (2) | NYM | PHI | L 2-4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Finally, batters have struck out at least once, GDP’d at least twice and been caught stealing at least once just 10 times (not including Castro):
Rk | Player | Date | Tm | Opp | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | BB | SO | HBP | GDP | SB | CS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Travis Snider | 2010-08-16 | TOR | OAK | W 3-1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
2 | Barry Larkin | 2002-08-30 | CIN | MIL | L 4-9 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
3 | Jeromy Burnitz | 1997-06-18 | MIL | STL | W 8-4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
4 | Von Hayes | 1992-08-10 | CAL | MIL | W 4-1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
5 | Roberto Alomar | 1988-08-22 | SDP | PHI | L 5-6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
6 | Carmelo Castillo | 1984-04-16 | CLE | BAL | W 4-3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
7 | Bob Bailey | 1964-07-22 | PIT | STL | W 13-2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
8 | Bob Allison | 1961-05-11 | MIN | BAL | L 7-8 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
9 | Andy Carey | 1957-05-11 | NYY | BAL | W 6-4 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
10 | Bobby Hofman | 1955-05-13 | NYG | STL | W 4-3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used