Getting 100 RBI in a season is an important milestone in baseball. It not only signifies a player as a great run-producer, but 100 RBIs seems to be one of those stats that carry a lot of clout when we evaluate players.
There are, however, times when a player has fallen short of that 100-RBI season; in fact, there have been 91 times in MLB history where a player ended the season with 99 RBI falling one ribbie short of that magic milestone.
Last season, Cincinnati Reds slugger Adam Duvall ended the year with exactly 99 RBI, the only player to do so last season. He collected his 99th RBI in the fourth inning on the last day of the season and had two at-bats remaining in that game against the Cubs to get RBI #100. He had a bases-empty double in an at-bat in the sixth inning of that game, and then with a man on second in the eighth inning, he struck out, thus ending his quest for 100 RBI in 2017.
There have been six MLB players who had exactly 99 RBI in not only one, but two seasons. Jay Bruce is the last player to do so… he had exactly 99 RBI in 2012 and in 2016.
Here are the six players who have had two seasons in their careers with exactly 99 RBI. Also noted is how many 100-RBI seasons they have had in their careers.
Ty Cobb, 1915, 1922 (had seven 100-RBI seasons in his career)
Bibb Falk, 1924, 1925 (had one 100-RBI season in his career)
Lee May, 1975, 1977 (had three 100-RBI seasons in his career)
Kirby Puckett, 1987, 1995 (had three 100-RBI seasons in his career)
Sean Casey, 1999, 2004 (did not have a 100-RBI season in his career)
Jay Bruce, 20102, 2016 (has had two 100-RBI seasons in his career)
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