Richie Ashburn vs Willie McCovey: Career Stats Comparison
Richie Ashburn and Willie McCovey are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Richie Ashburn played 1948–1962 as a hitter; Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 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
Richie Ashburn (1948–1962) and Willie McCovey (1959–1980) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Richie Ashburn finished with 2,574 hits and 29 home runs; Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie McCovey, with 521 to Richie Ashburn's 29.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie McCovey, with .889 to Richie Ashburn's .778.
- Who had the higher batting average? Richie Ashburn, with .308 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Richie Ashburn, with 2,574 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Richie Ashburn's 586.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Richie Ashburn's 18,707.
Richie Ashburn
Willie McCovey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Richie Ashburn and Willie McCovey. 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 1940s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Richie Ashburn | Willie McCovey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,189 | Leads: 2,588 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,365 | 8,197 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,322 | 1,229 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,574 | 2,211 |
| Doubles | 317 | Leads: 353 |
| Triples | Leads: 109 | 46 |
| Home Runs | 29 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 586 | Leads: 1,555 |
| Walks | 1,198 | Leads: 1,345 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 571 | 1,550 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 234 | 26 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .308 | .270 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .396 | .374 |
| Slugging % | .382 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .778 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey outpaces Richie Ashburn 47,331 to 18,707 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,058 PIV per season to 1,247, across 23 seasons to 15. 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).
Richie Ashburn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Richie Ashburn leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Willie McCovey owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Richie Ashburn. Note that PIV actually grades Willie McCovey ahead, which means Richie Ashburn's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Richie Ashburn and Willie McCovey careers compare
The careers of Richie Ashburn (1948–1962) and Willie McCovey (1959–1980) overlapped from 1959 to 1962, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,189 games against 2,588 across 15 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Richie Ashburn walked more often than struck out (1,198 walks, 571 strikeouts), while Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345). Willie McCovey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 521 of 2,211 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Richie Ashburn stole more often per game played (234 steals in 2,189 games for Richie Ashburn, 26 in 2,588 for Willie McCovey).
Richie Ashburn vs Willie McCovey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Richie Ashburn or Willie McCovey hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Richie Ashburn's 29.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie McCovey, with .889 to Richie Ashburn's .778.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Richie Ashburn, with .308 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Richie Ashburn, with 2,574 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.