Gary Carter vs Gene Tenace: Career Stats Comparison
Gary Carter has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Gene Tenace played 1969–1983 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 Gene Tenace (1969–1983) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Gary Carter finished with 2,092 hits and 324 home runs; Gene Tenace finished with 1,060 hits and 201 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 Gene Tenace's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gene Tenace, with .817 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average? Gary Carter, with .262 to Gene Tenace's .241.
- Who had more hits? Gary Carter, with 2,092 to Gene Tenace's 1,060.
- Who drove in more runs? Gary Carter, with 1,225 to Gene Tenace's 674.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gene Tenace, with 18,534 career PIV to Gary Carter's 14,141.
- Who won more championships? Gene Tenace, with 4 World Series titles to Gary Carter's 1.
Gary Carter
Gene Tenace
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Carter and Gene Tenace. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gary Carter | Gene Tenace |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,296 | 1,555 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,971 | 4,390 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,025 | 653 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,092 | 1,060 |
| Doubles | Leads: 371 | 179 |
| Triples | Leads: 31 | 20 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 324 | 201 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,225 | 674 |
| Walks | 848 | Leads: 984 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 997 | 998 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 39 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .262 | .241 |
| On-Base % | .335 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .439 | .429 |
| OPS | .773 | Leads: .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gene Tenace leads Gary Carter 18,534 to 14,141 — driven by per-season impact — 1,236 PIV per season to 744 — rather than by longevity, since Gene Tenace played 15 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
Gene Tenace — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gary Carter leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Gene Tenace owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gary Carter. Note that PIV actually grades Gene Tenace ahead, which means Gary Carter's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gary Carter and Gene Tenace careers compare
Gary Carter and Gene Tenace were active at the same time between 1974 and 1983. With 2,296 games against 1,555 across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Gene Tenace comes out ahead, it is in walks (984 to 848), on-base percentage (.388 to .335), and OPS (.817 to .773). Gary Carter struck out more than walked (997 to 848); Gene Tenace struck out more than walked (998 to 984). In slugging percentage, Gary Carter holds the edge, .439 to .429.
Gary Carter vs Gene Tenace: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Carter or Gene Tenace?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gary Carter leads Gene Tenace in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gary Carter or Gene Tenace hit more home runs?
- Gary Carter, with 324 to Gene Tenace's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gene Tenace, with .817 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Gary Carter, with .262 to Gene Tenace's .241.
- Who had more hits?
- Gary Carter, with 2,092 to Gene Tenace's 1,060.