Johnny Bench vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Johnny Bench has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Johnny Bench played 1967–1983 as a hitter; Ken Griffey played 1973–1991 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
Johnny Bench (1967–1983) and Ken Griffey (1973–1991) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Johnny Bench finished with 2,048 hits and 389 home runs; Ken Griffey finished with 2,143 hits and 152 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Johnny Bench, with 389 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Bench, with .817 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey, with .296 to Johnny Bench's .267.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Johnny Bench's 2,048.
- Who drove in more runs? Johnny Bench, with 1,376 to Ken Griffey's 859.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Johnny Bench, with 25,321 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 15,957.
- Who won more championships? Ken Griffey, with 3 World Series titles to Johnny Bench's 2.
Johnny Bench
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Johnny Bench and Ken Griffey. 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Johnny Bench | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,158 | 2,097 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,658 | 7,229 |
| Runs | 1,091 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Hits | 2,048 | Leads: 2,143 |
| Doubles | Leads: 381 | 364 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 77 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 389 | 152 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,376 | 859 |
| Walks | Leads: 891 | 719 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,278 | 898 |
| Stolen Bases | 68 | Leads: 200 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | .342 | Leads: .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .476 | .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .817 | .790 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johnny Bench outpaces Ken Griffey 25,321 to 15,957 — driven by per-season impact — 1,489 PIV per season to 725 — rather than by longevity, since Johnny Bench played 17 seasons to Ken Griffey's 22. 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).
Johnny Bench — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Johnny Bench owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. Note that PIV actually grades Johnny Bench ahead, which means Ken Griffey's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Johnny Bench and Ken Griffey careers compare
From 1973 through 1983, Johnny Bench and Ken Griffey were in the majors together. With 2,158 games against 2,097 across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Johnny Bench struck out more than walked (1,278 to 891); Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (898 to 719). Home runs make up a larger share of Johnny Bench's hits: 389 of 2,048 for Johnny Bench, 152 of 2,143 for Ken Griffey. On the bases, Ken Griffey stole more often per game played (68 steals in 2,158 games for Johnny Bench, 200 in 2,097 for Ken Griffey). In slugging percentage, Johnny Bench holds the edge, .476 to .431.
Johnny Bench vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Johnny Bench or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johnny Bench leads Ken Griffey in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Johnny Bench or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Johnny Bench, with 389 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Bench, with .817 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey, with .296 to Johnny Bench's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Johnny Bench's 2,048.