Yogi Berra vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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 Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Yogi Berra finished with 2,150 hits and 358 home runs; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Yogi Berra's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS? Yogi Berra, with .830 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Yogi Berra, with .285 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Yogi Berra's 2,150.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Yogi Berra's 1,430.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Yogi Berra, with 21,371 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Yogi Berra, with 10 World Series titles to Cal Ripken's 1.
Yogi Berra
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Yogi Berra and Cal Ripken. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Yogi Berra | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,120 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 7,555 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | 1,175 | Leads: 1,647 |
| Hits | 2,150 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 321 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 44 |
| Home Runs | 358 | Leads: 431 |
| RBI | 1,430 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks | 704 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 414 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .348 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .482 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Yogi Berra leads Cal Ripken 21,371 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 1,125 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Yogi Berra played 19 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cal Ripken leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Yogi Berra owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cal Ripken. Note that PIV actually grades Yogi Berra ahead, which means Cal Ripken's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Yogi Berra and Cal Ripken careers compare
Yogi Berra (1946–1965) was finished before Cal Ripken (1981–2001) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,120 games against 3,001 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Yogi Berra walked more often than struck out (704 walks, 414 strikeouts), while Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). On the peak-season lists, Yogi Berra's best year is 1950 at .915 OPS and Cal Ripken's is 1999 at .952 OPS; Cal Ripken has the stronger single season.
Yogi Berra vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Yogi Berra or Cal Ripken?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Yogi Berra in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Yogi Berra or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Yogi Berra's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Yogi Berra, with .830 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Yogi Berra, with .285 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Yogi Berra's 2,150.