Rod Carew vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Rod Carew 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). Rod Carew played 1967–1985 as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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
Rod Carew (1967–1985) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Rod Carew's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Rod Carew's 35,141.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Rod Carew's 0.
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rod Carew and Willie Stargell. 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 | Rod Carew | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,469 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,315 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,424 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,053 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 445 | 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 92 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,018 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,028 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 353 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .328 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .393 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell leads Rod Carew 42,804 to 35,141 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,038 PIV per season to 1,850, across 21 seasons to 19. 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).
Rod Carew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rod Carew leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Willie Stargell owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rod Carew. Note that PIV actually grades Willie Stargell ahead, which means Rod Carew's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rod Carew and Willie Stargell careers compare
From 1967 through 1982, Rod Carew and Willie Stargell were in the majors together. With 2,469 games against 2,360 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Willie Stargell are home runs (475 to 92), RBI (1,540 to 1,015), and slugging percentage (.529 to .429). At the plate, Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018), and Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Willie Stargell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 475 of 2,232 hits leaving the park.
Rod Carew vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rod Carew or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rod Carew leads Willie Stargell in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rod Carew or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.