Dick Allen vs Steve Garvey: Career Stats Comparison
Dick Allen and Steve Garvey are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Dick Allen played 1963–1977 as a hitter; Steve Garvey played 1969–1987 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
Dick Allen (1963–1977) and Steve Garvey (1969–1987) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Dick Allen finished with 1,848 hits and 351 home runs; Steve Garvey finished with 2,599 hits and 272 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dick Allen, with 351 to Steve Garvey's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dick Allen, with .912 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average? Steve Garvey, with .294 to Dick Allen's .292.
- Who had more hits? Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Dick Allen's 1,848.
- Who drove in more runs? Steve Garvey, with 1,308 to Dick Allen's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dick Allen, with 40,487 career PIV to Steve Garvey's 14,901.
- Who won more championships? Steve Garvey, with 1 World Series title to Dick Allen's 0.
Dick Allen
Steve Garvey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dick Allen and Steve Garvey. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dick Allen | Steve Garvey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,749 | Leads: 2,332 |
| At-Bats | 6,332 | Leads: 8,835 |
| Runs | 1,099 | Leads: 1,143 |
| Hits | 1,848 | Leads: 2,599 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 440 |
| Triples | Leads: 79 | 43 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 351 | 272 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | Leads: 894 | 479 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,556 | 1,003 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 133 | 83 |
| Batting Avg | .292 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .378 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .534 | .446 |
| OPS | Leads: .912 | .775 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dick Allen outpaces Steve Garvey 40,487 to 14,901 — driven by per-season impact — 2,699 PIV per season to 784 — rather than by longevity, since Dick Allen played 15 seasons to Steve Garvey's 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).
Dick Allen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Steve Garvey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dick Allen leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Steve Garvey owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dick Allen. PIV agrees: Dick Allen grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dick Allen and Steve Garvey careers compare
Dick Allen and Steve Garvey were active at the same time between 1969 and 1977. With 1,749 games against 2,332 across 15 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Dick Allen struck out more than walked (1,556 to 894); Steve Garvey struck out more than walked (1,003 to 479). Home runs make up a larger share of Dick Allen's hits: 351 of 1,848 for Dick Allen, 272 of 2,599 for Steve Garvey. On the bases, Dick Allen stole more often per game played (133 steals in 1,749 games for Dick Allen, 83 in 2,332 for Steve Garvey). Dick Allen's slugging percentage of .534 tops Steve Garvey's .446.
Dick Allen vs Steve Garvey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Dick Allen or Steve Garvey hit more home runs?
- Dick Allen, with 351 to Steve Garvey's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dick Allen, with .912 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Steve Garvey, with .294 to Dick Allen's .292.
- Who had more hits?
- Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Dick Allen's 1,848.