Barry Bonds vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Bonds 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). Barry Bonds played 1986–2007 as a hitter; Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 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
Barry Bonds (1986–2007) and Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Bonds finished with 2,935 hits and 762 home runs; Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Barry Bonds, with 762 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Barry Bonds's 1.051.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Barry Bonds's .298.
- Who had more hits? Barry Bonds, with 2,935 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Barry Bonds, with 1,996 to Lou Gehrig's 1,995.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Bonds, with 96,025 career PIV to Lou Gehrig's 81,072.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Barry Bonds's 0.
Barry Bonds
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Bonds and Lou Gehrig. 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 1980s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Bonds | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,986 | 2,164 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,847 | 8,001 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,227 | 1,888 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,935 | 2,721 |
| Doubles | Leads: 601 | 534 |
| Triples | 77 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 762 | 493 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,996 | 1,995 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,558 | 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,539 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 514 | 102 |
| Batting Avg | .298 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .444 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .607 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | 1.051 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Bonds leads Lou Gehrig 96,025 to 81,072 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Barry Bonds played 22 seasons to Lou Gehrig's 17, while Lou Gehrig carries the higher per-season figure (4,769 to 4,365). 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).
Barry Bonds — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Bonds leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lou Gehrig owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Barry Bonds. PIV agrees: Barry Bonds grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Barry Bonds and Lou Gehrig careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lou Gehrig's ended in 1939, and Barry Bonds debuted in 1986. With 2,986 games against 2,164 across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Barry Bonds walked more often than struck out (2,558 walks, 1,539 strikeouts); Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). Barry Bonds is the more power-leaning hitter, with 762 of 2,935 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Barry Bonds stole more often per game played (514 steals in 2,986 games for Barry Bonds, 102 in 2,164 for Lou Gehrig). In on-base percentage, Lou Gehrig holds the edge, .447 to .444.
Barry Bonds vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Bonds or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Bonds leads Lou Gehrig in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Bonds or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Barry Bonds, with 762 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Barry Bonds's 1.051.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Barry Bonds's .298.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Bonds, with 2,935 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.