Ripken played in 2,632 games without missing a single one. That's every game from May 30, 1982, to September 19, 1998. That's every game for 17 seasons. Incredible.
It is a record that I don't think will ever be broken, but I was wondering which player in Major League Baseball had the longest active streak. I googled it and found that it's the Rangers' Prince Fielder - who started his 531st straight game tonight (April 28).
That streak is well short of Ripken's, but it's still good for 29th all-time. If he plays every game this season, his streak will reach 667, which would be 18th all time. Here's how many games he will have played if he plays every game for the next several seasons and where it would rank all-time in MLB...
End of 2015: 829 games (tied for 9th all-time)
End of 2016: 991 games (8th all-time)
End of 2017: 1,154 games (5th all-time)
End of 2018: 1,315 games (3rd all-time)
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End of 2023: 2,125 games (3rd all-time - five shy of tying Lou Gehrig for 2nd all-time)
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End of 2026: 2,611 games (2nd all-time - 21 shy of tying Ripken for 1st all-time)
Essentially, if Fielder plays in every game this season and the next 12 seasons, he would be close to tying Ripken's record. He would break the record early in the 2027 season, around his 43rd birthday.
Records are made to be broken, but I wouldn't wait around for this one to go down.
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