Harold Baines vs Darryl Strawberry: Career Stats Comparison
Harold Baines 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). Harold Baines played 1980–2001 as a hitter; Darryl Strawberry played 1983–1999 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
Harold Baines (1980–2001) and Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; Darryl Strawberry finished with 1,401 hits and 335 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harold Baines, with 384 to Darryl Strawberry's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS? Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harold Baines, with .289 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits? Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,000.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harold Baines, with 25,497 career PIV to Darryl Strawberry's 22,150.
- Who won more championships? Darryl Strawberry, with 4 World Series titles to Harold Baines's 0.
Harold Baines
Darryl Strawberry
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Darryl Strawberry. 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 | Harold Baines | Darryl Strawberry |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 1,583 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 5,418 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,299 | 898 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,866 | 1,401 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 256 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 38 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 384 | 335 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 1,000 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,062 | 816 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,352 |
| Stolen Bases | 34 | Leads: 221 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .289 | .259 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | .465 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .862 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harold Baines leads Darryl Strawberry 25,497 to 22,150 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harold Baines played 27 seasons to Darryl Strawberry's 17, while Darryl Strawberry carries the higher per-season figure (1,303 to 944). 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).
Harold Baines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Darryl Strawberry — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harold Baines leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Darryl Strawberry owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harold Baines. PIV agrees: Harold Baines grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harold Baines and Darryl Strawberry careers compare
Harold Baines and Darryl Strawberry were active at the same time between 1983 and 1999. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Harold Baines appeared in 2,830 games to Darryl Strawberry's 1,583. The green cells for Darryl Strawberry are stolen bases (221 to 34), on-base percentage (.357 to .356), and slugging percentage (.505 to .465). Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062); Darryl Strawberry struck out more than walked (1,352 to 816). Home runs make up a larger share of Darryl Strawberry's hits: 384 of 2,866 for Harold Baines, 335 of 1,401 for Darryl Strawberry.
Harold Baines vs Darryl Strawberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or Darryl Strawberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harold Baines leads Darryl Strawberry in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or Darryl Strawberry hit more home runs?
- Harold Baines, with 384 to Darryl Strawberry's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harold Baines, with .289 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.