Don Baylor vs Bobby Grich: Career Stats Comparison
Don Baylor has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Don Baylor played 1970–1988 as a hitter; Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 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
Don Baylor (1970–1988) and Bobby Grich (1970–1986) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Don Baylor finished with 2,135 hits and 338 home runs; Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Don Baylor, with 338 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Grich, with .794 to Don Baylor's .777.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Grich, with .266 to Don Baylor's .260.
- Who had more hits? Don Baylor, with 2,135 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.
- Who drove in more runs? Don Baylor, with 1,276 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Grich, with 20,680 career PIV to Don Baylor's 16,843.
- Who won more championships? Don Baylor, with 2 World Series titles to Bobby Grich's 1.
Don Baylor
Bobby Grich
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Don Baylor and Bobby Grich. 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 | Don Baylor | Bobby Grich |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,292 | 2,008 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,198 | 6,890 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,236 | 1,033 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,135 | 1,833 |
| Doubles | Leads: 366 | 320 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 338 | 224 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,276 | 864 |
| Walks | 805 | Leads: 1,087 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,069 | 1,278 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 285 | 104 |
| Batting Avg | .260 | Leads: .266 |
| On-Base % | .342 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .436 | .424 |
| OPS | .777 | Leads: .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Grich leads Don Baylor 20,680 to 16,843 — driven by per-season impact — 1,216 PIV per season to 842 — rather than by longevity, since Bobby Grich played 17 seasons to Don Baylor's 20. 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).
Don Baylor — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Baylor leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Grich owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Baylor. Note that PIV actually grades Bobby Grich ahead, which means Don Baylor's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Baylor and Bobby Grich careers compare
Don Baylor and Bobby Grich were active at the same time between 1970 and 1986. With 2,292 games against 2,008 across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Don Baylor struck out more than walked (1,069 to 805), and Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087). Don Baylor was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Don Baylor holds the edge, .436 to .424. On the peak-season lists, Don Baylor's best year is 1979 at .901 OPS and Bobby Grich's is 1981 at .921 OPS; Bobby Grich has the stronger single season.
Don Baylor vs Bobby Grich: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Baylor or Bobby Grich?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Baylor leads Bobby Grich in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Don Baylor or Bobby Grich hit more home runs?
- Don Baylor, with 338 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Grich, with .794 to Don Baylor's .777.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Grich, with .266 to Don Baylor's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Don Baylor, with 2,135 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.