Lou Brock vs Rod Carew: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Brock and Rod Carew are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Brock played 1961–1979 as a hitter; Rod Carew played 1967–1985 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 Brock (1961–1979) and Rod Carew (1967–1985) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lou Brock finished with 3,023 hits and 149 home runs; Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Brock, with 149 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rod Carew, with .822 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Lou Brock's .293.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Lou Brock's 3,023.
- Who drove in more runs? Rod Carew, with 1,015 to Lou Brock's 900.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rod Carew, with 35,141 career PIV to Lou Brock's 18,115.
- Who won more championships? Lou Brock, with 2 World Series titles to Rod Carew's 0.
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Brock and Rod Carew. 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 Brock | Rod Carew |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,616 | 2,469 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,332 | 9,315 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,610 | 1,424 |
| Hits | 3,023 | Leads: 3,053 |
| Doubles | Leads: 486 | 445 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 112 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 149 | 92 |
| RBI | 900 | Leads: 1,015 |
| Walks | 761 | Leads: 1,018 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,730 | 1,028 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 938 | 353 |
| Batting Avg | .293 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .393 |
| Slugging % | .410 | Leads: .429 |
| OPS | .753 | Leads: .822 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rod Carew outpaces Lou Brock 35,141 to 18,115 — driven by per-season impact — 1,850 PIV per season to 906 — rather than by longevity, since Rod Carew played 19 seasons to Lou Brock's 20. 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 Brock — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rod Carew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rod Carew leads in hits, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Lou Brock owns home runs, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rod Carew. PIV agrees: Rod Carew grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Brock and Rod Carew careers compare
The careers of Lou Brock (1961–1979) and Rod Carew (1967–1985) overlapped from 1967 to 1979, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,616 games against 2,469 across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lou Brock struck out more than walked (1,730 to 761); Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018). Lou Brock is the more power-leaning hitter, with 149 of 3,023 hits leaving the park. Lou Brock was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Rod Carew's slugging percentage of .429 tops Lou Brock's .410.
Lou Brock vs Rod Carew: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Lou Brock or Rod Carew hit more home runs?
- Lou Brock, with 149 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rod Carew, with .822 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Lou Brock's .293.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Lou Brock's 3,023.