Gary Carter vs Barry Larkin: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Larkin 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). Gary Carter played 1974–1992 as a hitter; Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 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 Barry Larkin (1986–2004) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Gary Carter finished with 2,092 hits and 324 home runs; Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Gary Carter, with 324 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Larkin, with .815 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Larkin, with .295 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Gary Carter's 2,092.
- Who drove in more runs? Gary Carter, with 1,225 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Larkin, with 17,788 career PIV to Gary Carter's 14,141.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Gary Carter
Barry Larkin
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Carter and Barry Larkin. 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 | Gary Carter | Barry Larkin |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,296 | 2,180 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,971 | 7,937 |
| Runs | 1,025 | Leads: 1,329 |
| Hits | 2,092 | Leads: 2,340 |
| Doubles | 371 | Leads: 441 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 76 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 324 | 198 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,225 | 960 |
| Walks | 848 | Leads: 939 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 997 | 817 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 379 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .335 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | .439 | Leads: .444 |
| OPS | .773 | Leads: .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Larkin leads Gary Carter 17,788 to 14,141 — driven by per-season impact — 936 PIV per season to 744 — rather than by longevity, since Barry Larkin played 19 seasons to Gary Carter's 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
Barry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Larkin leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Gary Carter owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Barry Larkin. PIV agrees: Barry Larkin 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 Barry Larkin careers compare
From 1986 through 1992, Gary Carter and Barry Larkin were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,296 games for Gary Carter and 2,180 for Barry Larkin across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Gary Carter's edges on the table are games (2,296 to 2,180), at-bats (7,971 to 7,937), and home runs (324 to 198). At the plate, Gary Carter struck out more than walked (997 to 848), while Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts). Gary Carter is the more power-leaning hitter, with 324 of 2,092 hits leaving the park.
Gary Carter vs Barry Larkin: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Carter or Barry Larkin?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Gary Carter in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gary Carter or Barry Larkin hit more home runs?
- Gary Carter, with 324 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Larkin, with .815 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Larkin, with .295 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Gary Carter's 2,092.