George Brett vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
George Brett and Cal Ripken are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). George Brett played 1973–1993 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
George Brett (1973–1993) and Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 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 George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Brett, with .857 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Brett, with .305 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to George Brett's 3,154.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to George Brett's 1,596.
- Who has the higher career PIV? George Brett, with 41,511 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
George Brett
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett 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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Brett | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,707 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 10,349 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | 1,583 | Leads: 1,647 |
| Hits | 3,154 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 603 |
| Triples | Leads: 137 | 44 |
| Home Runs | 317 | Leads: 431 |
| RBI | 1,596 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks | 1,096 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 201 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .369 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .487 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .857 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Brett outpaces Cal Ripken 41,511 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 1,977 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since George Brett played 21 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).
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Brett leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Cal Ripken owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to George Brett. PIV agrees: George Brett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Brett and Cal Ripken careers compare
The careers of George Brett (1973–1993) and Cal Ripken (1981–2001) overlapped from 1981 to 1993, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,707 games against 3,001 across 21 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts), while Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). Cal Ripken is the more power-leaning hitter, with 431 of 3,184 hits leaving the park. On the bases, George Brett stole more often per game played (201 steals in 2,707 games for George Brett, 36 in 3,001 for Cal Ripken).
George Brett vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did George Brett or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Brett, with .857 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Brett, with .305 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to George Brett's 3,154.