Every spring, dozens of players say they want to play every day. By the final Sunday of the 2026 regular season, only seven had actually done it, appearing in all 162 of their team’s games.
The group mixes a record-chasing first baseman, a two-time MVP, a rookie and an MVP front-runner. Each took a different path to the same number, and several got there for the first time in their careers.
A rare club in a load-managed era
Modern teams lean heavily on scheduled rest days, platoons and cautious injury management. That makes a full-season line on the stat sheet a rare badge, one that reflects health, trust from managers and a little luck.
Luck cut the other way for Baltimore’s Pete Alonso. He played in 161 games, but the Orioles’ Sept. 27 finale at Yankee Stadium was canceled by weather after a nearly three-hour delay, leaving no 162nd game to play.
Alonso still finished with an AL-leading 43 home runs and 113 RBIs. The seven who made it, however, start with a player who has turned showing up into a historic habit.
Matt Olson keeps the streak rolling
Atlanta’s Matt Olson played every game for the fifth straight season. His consecutive games streak, which began May 2, 2021, with the Oakland Athletics, reached 944 games by the end of the year, according to The Associated Press.
That total pushes Olson past Stan Musial’s 895 on the all-time list. On July 10, he also passed Dale Murphy for the longest streak in Braves franchise history, with his 741st straight game for Atlanta.
Olson has never treated the streak as a goal. “I just expect to play if I’m healthy and ready to go, and it’s just kind of stacked up games,” he told MLB.com after setting the franchise mark.
Bryce Harper finally gets to 162
Two-time MVP Bryce Harper appeared in all 162 games for the first time in his 15-season MLB career. His previous high was 159 games with Washington in 2018. Before 2026, his only Philadelphia season above 145 games was 2019, when he played 157.
The 33-year-old Phillies star had spoken openly about his goal. “Obviously, it’s in my head that I want to do it,” Harper said in July, while emphasizing the importance of staying healthy and winning.
His final regular-season appearance carried playoff stakes. Harper homered in Philadelphia’s 7-3 victory over Tampa Bay on September 27, clinching the final NL wild-card berth with an 88-74 record.
Ozzie Albies completes Atlanta’s iron double
Matt Olson had company in the Braves’ lineup throughout the regular season. Second baseman Ozzie Albies also appeared in all 162 games, a notable turnaround after injuries interrupted several recent seasons.
Albies broke his left foot in 2022 and fractured his left wrist in 2024, missing substantial time in both years. In 2026, he stayed on the field as Atlanta finished 94-68 and won the NL East.
The Braves improved by 18 wins over 2025, with their durable infielders providing a steady foundation. Atlanta opened its Wild Card Series against Philadelphia with a 5-3 victory on September 29.
Junior Caminero joins a short list at third base
On the other side of that game stood Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, who made history of his own. He became just the fourth player since divisional play began in 1969 to start all 162 games at third base.
Caminero joined Sal Bando in 1969, Cal Ripken Jr. in 1997 and Vinny Castilla in 1998. Few positions are more physically demanding over a full season, which helps explain why the list is so short.
The 23-year-old paired that durability with production. He reached 40 home runs with a September walk-off that clinched a playoff berth and topped 100 RBIs for a second straight season on a 98-win Rays club.
Pete Crow-Armstrong pairs durability with MVP numbers
Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong also played in all 162 games, and his season may carry the biggest award implications of the group. He is widely considered a leading candidate for NL MVP honors.
Crow-Armstrong tied Kyle Schwarber for the major league lead with 45 home runs, according to MLB.com’s final stat leaders. He also led the NL with a .942 OPS and topped the majors with 10.6 WAR.
Earlier this season, he became only the second left-handed hitter in Cubs history to hit 40 home runs in a season, joining Hall of Famer Billy Williams. Doing it without a day off only adds to the case.
Sal Stewart’s rookie year had no days off
Cincinnati’s Sal Stewart became the first rookie to appear in all 162 games since Delmon Young did it for Tampa Bay in 2007. Stewart started 161 games and made 1 appearance as a pinch-hitter.
He stayed in the lineup while playing first base, second base, and third base and also serving as a designated hitter. Stewart finished with 32 home runs and a Reds rookie record 111 RBIs.
The 22-year-old earned an All-Star selection during his rookie season. “I’m blessed. I had a great year, but I’m not satisfied,” Stewart said, according to Sports Illustrated.
Bryan Reynolds ends a long Pittsburgh drought
Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds became the first Pirates player to appear in all 162 games since Jason Bay in 2005.
Reynolds had approached that mark before, playing 159 games in 2021 and 156 in 2024. In 2026, he combined his durability with steady production, finishing with a major league-leading 40 doubles.
Pirates manager Don Kelly praised Reynolds’s stability and consistency. Reynolds joined 6 other players in reaching 162 appearances during the regular season, earning a distinction that remains rare.
Fun fact: Olson’s 944-game streak is impressive, but it’s still well short of the record. Cal Ripken Jr. played in 2,632 consecutive games, the longest streak in MLB history.
TL;DR
- Seven players appeared in all 162 games in 2026: Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Bryce Harper, Junior Caminero, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Sal Stewart, and Bryan Reynolds.
- Olson’s streak reached 944 games, passing Stan Musial on the all-time list.
- Harper, Reynolds, and Albies reached 162 games for the first time.
- Caminero became the fourth player since 1969 to start all 162 games at third base.
- Stewart was the first rookie to play every game since 2007.
- Pete Alonso played 161 after a rainout wiped out Baltimore’s finale.
Read More From This Brand:
- NFL approves 5 rule changes fans need to know for 2026
- “I can’t sleep at night,” Josh Allen reveals the painful impact of NFL turf
- “I don’t have a succession plan,” Jerry Jones makes stunning Cowboys admission
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
