Johnny Bench vs Lee May: Career Stats Comparison
Johnny Bench has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Lee May played 1965–1982 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 Lee May (1965–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Johnny Bench finished with 2,048 hits and 389 home runs; Lee May finished with 2,031 hits and 354 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 Lee May's 354.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Bench, with .817 to Lee May's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .267.
- Who had more hits? Johnny Bench, with 2,048 to Lee May's 2,031.
- Who drove in more runs? Johnny Bench, with 1,376 to Lee May's 1,244.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Johnny Bench, with 25,321 career PIV to Lee May's 14,353.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Bench, with 2 World Series titles to Lee May's 0.
Johnny Bench
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Johnny Bench and Lee May. 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 | Johnny Bench | Lee May |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,158 | 2,071 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,658 | 7,609 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,091 | 959 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,048 | 2,031 |
| Doubles | Leads: 381 | 340 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 31 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 389 | 354 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,376 | 1,244 |
| Walks | Leads: 891 | 487 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,278 | 1,570 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 68 | 39 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .267 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .342 | .313 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .476 | .459 |
| OPS | Leads: .817 | .772 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johnny Bench outpaces Lee May 25,321 to 14,353 — driven by per-season impact — 1,489 PIV per season to 797 — rather than by longevity, since Johnny Bench played 17 seasons to Lee May's 18. 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
Lee May — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johnny Bench leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lee May owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Johnny Bench. PIV agrees: Johnny Bench grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Johnny Bench and Lee May careers compare
From 1967 through 1982, Johnny Bench and Lee May were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,158 games for Johnny Bench and 2,071 for Lee May across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lee May's edges on the table are triples (31 to 24). At the plate, Johnny Bench struck out more than walked (1,278 to 891), and Lee May struck out more than walked (1,570 to 487). Johnny Bench's slugging percentage of .476 tops Lee May's .459. Johnny Bench owns the better peak by OPS: .932 OPS in 1970 for Johnny Bench against .864 OPS in 1971 for Lee May.
Johnny Bench vs Lee May: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Johnny Bench or Lee May?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johnny Bench leads Lee May in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Johnny Bench or Lee May hit more home runs?
- Johnny Bench, with 389 to Lee May's 354.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Bench, with .817 to Lee May's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Johnny Bench, with 2,048 to Lee May's 2,031.