George Brett vs Matt Williams: Career Stats Comparison
George Brett has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). George Brett played 1973–1993 as a hitter; Matt Williams played 1987–2003 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 Matt Williams (1987–2003) — 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; Matt Williams finished with 1,878 hits and 378 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Williams, with 378 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Brett, with .857 to Matt Williams's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Brett, with .305 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits? George Brett, with 3,154 to Matt Williams's 1,878.
- Who drove in more runs? George Brett, with 1,596 to Matt Williams's 1,218.
- Who has the higher career PIV? George Brett, with 41,511 career PIV to Matt Williams's 9,982.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
George Brett
Matt Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett and Matt Williams. 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 | Matt Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,707 | 1,866 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,349 | 7,000 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,583 | 997 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,154 | 1,878 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 338 |
| Triples | Leads: 137 | 35 |
| Home Runs | 317 | Leads: 378 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,596 | 1,218 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,096 | 469 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 1,363 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 201 | 53 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .268 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .369 | .317 |
| Slugging % | .487 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | Leads: .857 | .805 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Brett outpaces Matt Williams 41,511 to 9,982 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,977 PIV per season to 587, across 21 seasons to 17. 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
Matt Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Brett leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Matt Williams owns home runs. 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 Matt Williams careers compare
From 1987 through 1993, George Brett and Matt Williams were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,707 games for George Brett and 1,866 for Matt Williams across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Matt Williams's edges on the table are home runs (378 to 317) and slugging percentage (.489 to .487). Plate discipline differs: George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts), but Matt Williams struck out more than walked (1,363 to 469). Matt Williams is the more power-leaning hitter, with 378 of 1,878 hits leaving the park.
George Brett vs Matt Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Brett or Matt Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Brett leads Matt Williams in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Brett or Matt Williams hit more home runs?
- Matt Williams, with 378 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Brett, with .857 to Matt Williams's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Brett, with .305 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- George Brett, with 3,154 to Matt Williams's 1,878.