Yogi Berra vs Thurman Munson: Career Stats Comparison
Yogi Berra has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Yogi Berra played 1946–1965 as a hitter; Thurman Munson played 1969–1979 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
Yogi Berra (1946–1965) and Thurman Munson (1969–1979) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Yogi Berra finished with 2,150 hits and 358 home runs; Thurman Munson finished with 1,558 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Yogi Berra, with 358 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Yogi Berra, with .830 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average? Thurman Munson, with .292 to Yogi Berra's .285.
- Who had more hits? Yogi Berra, with 2,150 to Thurman Munson's 1,558.
- Who drove in more runs? Yogi Berra, with 1,430 to Thurman Munson's 701.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Yogi Berra, with 21,371 career PIV to Thurman Munson's 8,466.
- Who won more championships? Yogi Berra, with 10 World Series titles to Thurman Munson's 2.
Yogi Berra
Thurman Munson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Yogi Berra and Thurman Munson. 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 1940s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Yogi Berra | Thurman Munson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,120 | 1,423 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,555 | 5,344 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,175 | 696 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,150 | 1,558 |
| Doubles | Leads: 321 | 229 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 32 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 358 | 113 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,430 | 701 |
| Walks | Leads: 704 | 438 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 414 | 571 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 48 |
| Batting Avg | .285 | Leads: .292 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .348 | .346 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .482 | .410 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .756 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Yogi Berra outpaces Thurman Munson 21,371 to 8,466 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,125 PIV per season to 770, across 19 seasons to 11. 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).
Yogi Berra — top 3 seasons by OPS
Thurman Munson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Yogi Berra leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Thurman Munson owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Yogi Berra. PIV agrees: Yogi Berra grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Yogi Berra and Thurman Munson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Yogi Berra's ended in 1965, and Thurman Munson debuted in 1969. With 2,120 games against 1,423 across 19 and 11 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Thurman Munson's edges on the table are stolen bases (48 to 30) and batting average (.292 to .285). Plate discipline differs: Yogi Berra walked more often than struck out (704 walks, 414 strikeouts), but Thurman Munson struck out more than walked (571 to 438). Yogi Berra is the more power-leaning hitter, with 358 of 2,150 hits leaving the park. Yogi Berra's slugging percentage of .482 tops Thurman Munson's .410.
Yogi Berra vs Thurman Munson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Yogi Berra or Thurman Munson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Yogi Berra leads Thurman Munson in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Yogi Berra or Thurman Munson hit more home runs?
- Yogi Berra, with 358 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Yogi Berra, with .830 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Thurman Munson, with .292 to Yogi Berra's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Yogi Berra, with 2,150 to Thurman Munson's 1,558.