Hank Aaron vs Rod Carew: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Hank Aaron played 1954–1976 as a hitter; Rod Carew played 1967–1985 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Hank Aaron (1954–1976) and Rod Carew (1967–1985) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Aaron, with 755 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Rod Carew's 3,053.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Rod Carew's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Rod Carew's 35,141.
- Who won more championships? Hank Aaron, with 1 World Series title to Rod Carew's 0.
Hank Aaron
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Rod Carew. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Aaron | Rod Carew |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,298 | 2,469 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 12,364 | 9,315 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,424 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 3,053 |
| Doubles | Leads: 624 | 445 |
| Triples | 98 | Leads: 112 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 92 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,015 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,402 | 1,018 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 1,028 |
| Stolen Bases | 240 | Leads: 353 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .393 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .429 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .822 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Rod Carew 78,640 to 35,141 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,419 PIV per season to 1,850, across 23 seasons to 19. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Hank Aaron — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rod Carew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Aaron leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Rod Carew owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Aaron. PIV agrees: Hank Aaron grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Aaron and Rod Carew careers compare
From 1967 through 1976, Hank Aaron and Rod Carew were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 3,298 games for Hank Aaron and 2,469 for Rod Carew across 23 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Rod Carew are triples (112 to 98), stolen bases (353 to 240), and batting average (.328 to .305). At the plate, Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts), while Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018). Hank Aaron is the more power-leaning hitter, with 755 of 3,771 hits leaving the park.
Hank Aaron vs Rod Carew: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Rod Carew?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Rod Carew in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Rod Carew hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Hank Aaron's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Rod Carew's 3,053.