Babe Ruth made 163 pitching appearances in his MLB career. The total covers his work on the mound for the Boston Red Sox and, later, occasional appearances for the New York Yankees.
Ruth’s pitching career was concentrated early. He appeared in 10 seasons as a pitcher, making 147 starts and completing 107 games. His overall pitching record was 94–46, with a 2.28 earned-run average and 17 shutouts—excellent numbers for a player who later became baseball’s most famous slugger.
The number 163 refers to games in which Ruth pitched, not his total games played. He appeared in 2,503 MLB games overall, mostly as an outfielder and hitter. That distinction explains why some summaries list much larger career game totals.
Ruth gradually moved away from regular pitching because the Red Sox and Yankees wanted his bat in the lineup every day. After becoming a full-time outfielder, he still occasionally took the mound, but his pitching appearances became a small part of his larger legacy.