Lou Boudreau vs Hank Greenberg: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Boudreau played 1938–1952 as a hitter; Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 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 Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lou Boudreau finished with 1,779 hits and 68 home runs; Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Lou Boudreau's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits? Lou Boudreau, with 1,779 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Greenberg, with 1,276 to Lou Boudreau's 789.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Lou Boudreau's 17,260.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Lou Boudreau's 1.
Lou Boudreau
Hank Greenberg
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Boudreau and Hank Greenberg. 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 | Lou Boudreau | Hank Greenberg |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,646 | 1,394 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,029 | 5,193 |
| Runs | 861 | Leads: 1,051 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,779 | 1,628 |
| Doubles | Leads: 385 | 379 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 71 |
| Home Runs | 68 | Leads: 331 |
| RBI | 789 | Leads: 1,276 |
| Walks | 796 | Leads: 852 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 309 | 844 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 58 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .380 | Leads: .412 |
| Slugging % | .415 | Leads: .605 |
| OPS | .795 | Leads: 1.017 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Lou Boudreau 43,523 to 17,260 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 1,151 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg played 13 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
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Greenberg leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Lou Boudreau owns hits. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Greenberg. PIV agrees: Hank Greenberg 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 Hank Greenberg careers compare
Lou Boudreau and Hank Greenberg were active at the same time between 1938 and 1947. With 1,646 games against 1,394 across 15 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lou Boudreau's edges on the table are games (1,646 to 1,394), at-bats (6,029 to 5,193), and hits (1,779 to 1,628). Lou Boudreau walked more often than struck out (796 walks, 309 strikeouts); Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Hank Greenberg's hits: 68 of 1,779 for Lou Boudreau, 331 of 1,628 for Hank Greenberg. Hank Greenberg's slugging percentage of .605 tops Lou Boudreau's .415.
Lou Boudreau vs Hank Greenberg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Boudreau or Hank Greenberg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Greenberg leads Lou Boudreau in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Boudreau or Hank Greenberg hit more home runs?
- Hank Greenberg, with 331 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Lou Boudreau's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Boudreau, with 1,779 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.