Most Home Runs in a season by second baseman: not who you think.

Marcus Semien, right? We've been hearing that recently after Semien was traded:

November 24, 2025: Traded by the Texas Rangers to the New York Mets for Brandon Nimmo and cash.

Semien hit 45 Home Runs in a season but not all were when he was playing 2B.

Rk	Player	HR	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	AB	2B	DH	PH	SS	Tot
1	Marcus Semien	45	2021	30	TOR	AL	162	724	652	41			4	45
2	Davey Johnson	43	1973	30	ATL	NL	157	651	559	42		1		43
3	Brian Dozier	42	2016	29	MIN	AL	155	691	615	40	2			42
4	Rogers Hornsby	42	1922	26	STL	NL	154	704	623	42				42
5	Ryne Sandberg	40	1990	30	CHC	NL	155	675	615	40				40

Semien hit "only" 41 as a second baseman. He hit the other four HR as a shortstop (SS).

The record is 42. It is held by Rogers Hornsby and Davey Johnson. Hornsby was #3 all time in season HR the year he did it: 1922.

https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/zBedz

For single seasons, up to 1922, Playing in the AL or NL, in the regular season, requiring Home Runs >= 35, sorted by descending Home Runs.

Rk	Player	HR	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	1B	2B	3B	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	SH	Pos
1	Babe Ruth	59	1921	26	NYY	AL	152	693	540	177	204	85	44	16	168	145	81	.378	.512	.846	1.359	239	457	4	*78/13H
2	Babe Ruth	54	1920	25	NYY	AL	142	617	458	158	172	73	36	9	135	150	80	.376	.532	.847	1.379	255	388	5	*978/31H
3	Rogers Hornsby	42	1922	26	STL	NL	154	704	623	141	250	148	46	14	152	65	50	.401	.459	.722	1.181	207	450	15	*4
4	Ken Williams	39	1922	32	SLB	AL	153	678	585	128	194	110	34	11	155	74	31	.332	.413	.627	1.040	164	367	12	*78
5	Tillie Walker	37	1922	34	PHA	AL	153	645	565	111	160	88	31	4	99	61	67	.283	.357	.549	.906	131	310	15	*78/H
6	Babe Ruth	35	1922	27	NYY	AL	110	496	406	94	128	61	24	8	96	84	80	.315	.434	.672	1.106	182	273	4	*79/3

Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 11/26/2025.

Second basemen through the year Johnson hit 43 (42 at 2B): 1973

https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/HfKm9

For single seasons, up to 1973, Playing in the AL or NL, Played at least 75% of games at 2B, in the regular season, requiring Home Runs >= 30, sorted by descending Home Runs.

Rk	Player	HR	Season	Age	Team	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	1B	2B	3B	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	Pos
1	Davey Johnson	43	1973	30	ATL	NL	157	651	559	84	151	83	25	0	81	93	.270	.370	.546	.916	143	305	*4/H
2	Rogers Hornsby	42	1922	26	STL	NL	154	704	623	141	250	148	46	14	65	50	.401	.459	.722	1.181	207	450	*4
3	Rogers Hornsby	39	1925	29	STL	NL	138	606	504	133	203	113	41	10	83	39	.403	.489	.756	1.245	210	381	*4/H
4	Rogers Hornsby	39	1929	33	CHC	NL	156	712	602	156	229	135	47	8	87	65	.380	.459	.679	1.139	178	409	*4
5	Joe Gordon	32	1948	33	CLE	AL	144	633	550	96	154	97	21	4	77	68	.280	.371	.507	.879	136	279	*4/6H
6	Joe Gordon	30	1940	25	NYY	AL	155	677	616	112	173	101	32	10	52	57	.281	.340	.511	.851	121	315	*4

Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 11/26/2025.

Those 1973 Atlanta Braves: was there something in the water?  Tuesday, August 31, 2010

At age 30, Baltimore second baseman Davey Johnson joined the Atlanta Braves and hit 43 home runs. His previous high had been 18 at age 28.

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