Gary Carter vs Andre Dawson: Career Stats Comparison
Andre Dawson 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). Gary Carter played 1974–1992 as a hitter; Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 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
Gary Carter (1974–1992) and Andre Dawson (1976–1996) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Gary Carter finished with 2,092 hits and 324 home runs; Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Andre Dawson, with 438 to Gary Carter's 324.
- Who had the higher OPS? Andre Dawson, with .806 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average? Andre Dawson, with .279 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits? Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Gary Carter's 2,092.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Gary Carter's 1,225.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Andre Dawson, with 20,948 career PIV to Gary Carter's 14,141.
- Who won more championships? Gary Carter, with 1 World Series title to Andre Dawson's 0.
Gary Carter
Andre Dawson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Carter and Andre Dawson. 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 | Gary Carter | Andre Dawson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,296 | Leads: 2,627 |
| At-Bats | 7,971 | Leads: 9,927 |
| Runs | 1,025 | Leads: 1,373 |
| Hits | 2,092 | Leads: 2,774 |
| Doubles | 371 | Leads: 503 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 98 |
| Home Runs | 324 | Leads: 438 |
| RBI | 1,225 | Leads: 1,591 |
| Walks | Leads: 848 | 589 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 997 | 1,509 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 314 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .335 | .323 |
| Slugging % | .439 | Leads: .482 |
| OPS | .773 | Leads: .806 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Andre Dawson outpaces Gary Carter 20,948 to 14,141 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 998 PIV per season to 744, 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).
Gary Carter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andre Dawson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Gary Carter owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andre Dawson. PIV agrees: Andre Dawson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gary Carter and Andre Dawson careers compare
From 1976 through 1992, Gary Carter and Andre Dawson were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,296 games for Gary Carter and 2,627 for Andre Dawson across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Gary Carter comes out ahead, it is in walks (848 to 589) and on-base percentage (.335 to .323). At the plate, Gary Carter struck out more than walked (997 to 848), and Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589). On the bases, Andre Dawson stole more often per game played (39 steals in 2,296 games for Gary Carter, 314 in 2,627 for Andre Dawson).
Gary Carter vs Andre Dawson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Carter or Andre Dawson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andre Dawson leads Gary Carter in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gary Carter or Andre Dawson hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Gary Carter's 324.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Andre Dawson, with .806 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Andre Dawson, with .279 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Gary Carter's 2,092.