Hank Aaron vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Hank Aaron played 1954–1976 as a hitter; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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 Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — 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; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 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 Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Aaron, with .305 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Carl Yastrzemski's 3,419.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Carl Yastrzemski's 1,844.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Carl Yastrzemski's 54,310.
- Who won more championships? Hank Aaron, with 1 World Series title to Carl Yastrzemski's 0.
Hank Aaron
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Carl Yastrzemski. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Aaron | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 3,298 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 12,364 | 11,988 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,816 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 3,419 |
| Doubles | 624 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 59 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 452 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,844 |
| Walks | 1,402 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts | 1,383 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 168 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .462 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .841 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Carl Yastrzemski 78,640 to 54,310 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,419 vs 2,361 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Aaron leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Carl Yastrzemski owns 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
Hank Aaron vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Carl Yastrzemski in 10 of 14 categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Aaron, with .305 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Carl Yastrzemski's 3,419.