Buddy Bell vs Hal McRae: Career Stats Comparison
Buddy Bell and Hal McRae are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Buddy Bell played 1972–1989 as a hitter; Hal McRae played 1968–1987 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
Buddy Bell (1972–1989) and Hal McRae (1968–1987) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Buddy Bell finished with 2,514 hits and 201 home runs; Hal McRae finished with 2,091 hits and 191 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Buddy Bell, with 201 to Hal McRae's 191.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hal McRae, with .805 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hal McRae, with .290 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits? Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Hal McRae's 2,091.
- Who drove in more runs? Buddy Bell, with 1,106 to Hal McRae's 1,097.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hal McRae, with 19,055 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
- Who won more championships? Hal McRae, with 1 World Series title to Buddy Bell's 0.
Buddy Bell
Hal McRae
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell and Hal McRae. 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Buddy Bell | Hal McRae |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,405 | 2,084 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,995 | 7,218 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,151 | 940 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,514 | 2,091 |
| Doubles | 425 | Leads: 484 |
| Triples | 56 | Leads: 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 201 | 191 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,106 | 1,097 |
| Walks | Leads: 836 | 648 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 779 |
| Stolen Bases | 55 | Leads: 109 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .351 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .454 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .805 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal McRae outpaces Buddy Bell 19,055 to 10,176 — driven by per-season impact — 1,003 PIV per season to 509 — rather than by longevity, since Hal McRae played 19 seasons to Buddy Bell'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).
Buddy Bell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Hal McRae — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal McRae leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Buddy Bell owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal McRae. PIV agrees: Hal McRae grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Buddy Bell and Hal McRae careers compare
From 1972 through 1987, Buddy Bell and Hal McRae were in the majors together. With 2,405 games against 2,084 across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts), while Hal McRae struck out more than walked (779 to 648). On the bases, Hal McRae stole more often per game played (55 steals in 2,405 games for Buddy Bell, 109 in 2,084 for Hal McRae). Best seasons: 1980 for Buddy Bell (.877 OPS, 17 HR, 83 RBI, .329 avg) and 1982 for Hal McRae (.910 OPS, 27 HR, 133 RBI, .308 avg).
Buddy Bell vs Hal McRae: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Buddy Bell or Hal McRae hit more home runs?
- Buddy Bell, with 201 to Hal McRae's 191.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hal McRae, with .805 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hal McRae, with .290 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Hal McRae's 2,091.