Lou Boudreau vs Nomar Garciaparra: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Boudreau and Nomar Garciaparra are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Boudreau played 1938–1952 as a hitter; Nomar Garciaparra played 1996–2009 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
Lou Boudreau (1938–1952) and Nomar Garciaparra (1996–2009) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Boudreau finished with 1,779 hits and 68 home runs; Nomar Garciaparra finished with 1,747 hits and 229 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Nomar Garciaparra, with 229 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Lou Boudreau's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits? Lou Boudreau, with 1,779 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.
- Who drove in more runs? Nomar Garciaparra, with 936 to Lou Boudreau's 789.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nomar Garciaparra, with 17,414 career PIV to Lou Boudreau's 17,260.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Lou Boudreau
Nomar Garciaparra
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Boudreau and Nomar Garciaparra. 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 1930s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Boudreau | Nomar Garciaparra |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,646 | 1,434 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,029 | 5,586 |
| Runs | 861 | Leads: 927 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,779 | 1,747 |
| Doubles | Leads: 385 | 370 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 52 |
| Home Runs | 68 | Leads: 229 |
| RBI | 789 | Leads: 936 |
| Walks | Leads: 796 | 403 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 309 | 554 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 95 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .361 |
| Slugging % | .415 | Leads: .521 |
| OPS | .795 | Leads: .882 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nomar Garciaparra edges Lou Boudreau 17,414 to 17,260 — driven by per-season impact — 1,161 PIV per season to 1,151 — rather than by longevity, since Nomar Garciaparra played 15 seasons to Lou Boudreau's 15. 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).
Lou Boudreau — top 3 seasons by OPS
Nomar Garciaparra — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nomar Garciaparra leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Lou Boudreau owns hits and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nomar Garciaparra. PIV agrees: Nomar Garciaparra grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Boudreau and Nomar Garciaparra careers compare
Lou Boudreau (1938–1952) was finished before Nomar Garciaparra (1996–2009) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,646 games against 1,434 across 15 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Lou Boudreau walked more often than struck out (796 walks, 309 strikeouts), but Nomar Garciaparra struck out more than walked (554 to 403). Home runs make up a larger share of Nomar Garciaparra's hits: 68 of 1,779 for Lou Boudreau, 229 of 1,747 for Nomar Garciaparra. In slugging percentage, Nomar Garciaparra holds the edge, .521 to .415.
Lou Boudreau vs Nomar Garciaparra: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Lou Boudreau or Nomar Garciaparra hit more home runs?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with 229 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Lou Boudreau's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Boudreau, with 1,779 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.