Buddy Bell vs Robin Yount: Career Stats Comparison
Robin Yount has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Buddy Bell played 1972–1989 as a hitter; Robin Yount played 1974–1993 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 Robin Yount (1974–1993) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Buddy Bell finished with 2,514 hits and 201 home runs; Robin Yount finished with 3,142 hits and 251 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Robin Yount, with 251 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS? Robin Yount, with .772 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robin Yount, with .285 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits? Robin Yount, with 3,142 to Buddy Bell's 2,514.
- Who drove in more runs? Robin Yount, with 1,406 to Buddy Bell's 1,106.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Robin Yount, with 18,665 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
Buddy Bell
Robin Yount
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell and Robin Yount. 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 | Buddy Bell | Robin Yount |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,405 | Leads: 2,856 |
| At-Bats | 8,995 | Leads: 11,008 |
| Runs | 1,151 | Leads: 1,632 |
| Hits | 2,514 | Leads: 3,142 |
| Doubles | 425 | Leads: 583 |
| Triples | 56 | Leads: 126 |
| Home Runs | 201 | Leads: 251 |
| RBI | 1,106 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Walks | 836 | Leads: 966 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 1,350 |
| Stolen Bases | 55 | Leads: 271 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .342 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .430 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .772 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robin Yount outpaces Buddy Bell 18,665 to 10,176 — driven by per-season impact — 933 PIV per season to 509 — rather than by longevity, since Robin Yount played 20 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
Robin Yount — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robin Yount leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Buddy Bell owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Robin Yount. PIV agrees: Robin Yount 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 Robin Yount careers compare
From 1974 through 1989, Buddy Bell and Robin Yount were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,405 games for Buddy Bell and 2,856 for Robin Yount across 20 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Robin Yount. At the plate, Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts), while Robin Yount struck out more than walked (1,350 to 966). On the bases, Robin Yount stole more often per game played (55 steals in 2,405 games for Buddy Bell, 271 in 2,856 for Robin Yount).
Buddy Bell vs Robin Yount: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buddy Bell or Robin Yount?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robin Yount leads Buddy Bell in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buddy Bell or Robin Yount hit more home runs?
- Robin Yount, with 251 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Robin Yount, with .772 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robin Yount, with .285 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Robin Yount, with 3,142 to Buddy Bell's 2,514.