Lou Brock vs Lou Whitaker: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Brock has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Brock played 1961–1979 as a hitter; Lou Whitaker played 1977–1995 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 Lou Whitaker (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Brock finished with 3,023 hits and 149 home runs; Lou Whitaker finished with 2,369 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Whitaker, with 244 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Whitaker, with .789 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Brock, with .293 to Lou Whitaker's .276.
- Who had more hits? Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Lou Whitaker's 2,369.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Whitaker, with 1,084 to Lou Brock's 900.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Whitaker, with 19,796 career PIV to Lou Brock's 18,115.
- Who won more championships? Lou Brock, with 2 World Series titles to Lou Whitaker's 1.
Lou Whitaker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Brock and Lou Whitaker. 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Brock | Lou Whitaker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,616 | 2,390 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,332 | 8,570 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,610 | 1,386 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,023 | 2,369 |
| Doubles | Leads: 486 | 420 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 65 |
| Home Runs | 149 | Leads: 244 |
| RBI | 900 | Leads: 1,084 |
| Walks | 761 | Leads: 1,197 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,730 | 1,099 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 938 | 143 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .293 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .363 |
| Slugging % | .410 | Leads: .426 |
| OPS | .753 | Leads: .789 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Whitaker leads Lou Brock 19,796 to 18,115 — driven by per-season impact — 1,042 PIV per season to 906 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Whitaker 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
Lou Whitaker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Whitaker leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Lou Brock owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Whitaker. PIV agrees: Lou Whitaker 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 Lou Whitaker careers compare
Lou Brock and Lou Whitaker were active at the same time between 1977 and 1979. The two careers are close in length, 2,616 games for Lou Brock and 2,390 for Lou Whitaker across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Lou Brock struck out more than walked (1,730 to 761), but Lou Whitaker walked more often than struck out (1,197 walks, 1,099 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Lou Whitaker's hits: 149 of 3,023 for Lou Brock, 244 of 2,369 for Lou Whitaker.
Lou Brock vs Lou Whitaker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Brock or Lou Whitaker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Brock leads Lou Whitaker in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Brock or Lou Whitaker hit more home runs?
- Lou Whitaker, with 244 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Whitaker, with .789 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Brock, with .293 to Lou Whitaker's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Lou Whitaker's 2,369.