Will Clark vs Matt Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Will Clark 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). Will Clark played 1986–2000 as a hitter; Matt Williams played 1987–2003 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
Will Clark (1986–2000) and Matt Williams (1987–2003) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Will Clark finished with 2,176 hits and 284 home runs; Matt Williams finished with 1,878 hits and 378 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Williams, with 378 to Will Clark's 284.
- Who had the higher OPS? Will Clark, with .880 to Matt Williams's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average? Will Clark, with .303 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits? Will Clark, with 2,176 to Matt Williams's 1,878.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Williams, with 1,218 to Will Clark's 1,205.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Will Clark, with 29,924 career PIV to Matt Williams's 9,982.
- Who won more championships? Matt Williams, with 1 World Series title to Will Clark's 0.
Will Clark
Matt Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Will Clark and Matt Williams. 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 | Will Clark | Matt Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,976 | 1,866 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,173 | 7,000 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,186 | 997 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,176 | 1,878 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 338 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 35 |
| Home Runs | 284 | Leads: 378 |
| RBI | 1,205 | Leads: 1,218 |
| Walks | Leads: 937 | 469 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,190 | 1,363 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 67 | 53 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .268 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .317 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .497 | .489 |
| OPS | Leads: .880 | .805 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Will Clark outpaces Matt Williams 29,924 to 9,982 — driven by per-season impact — 1,870 PIV per season to 587 — rather than by longevity, since Will Clark played 16 seasons to Matt Williams's 17. 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).
Will Clark — top 3 seasons by OPS
Matt Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Will Clark leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Matt Williams owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Will Clark. PIV agrees: Will Clark grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Will Clark and Matt Williams careers compare
From 1987 through 2000, Will Clark and Matt Williams were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,976 games for Will Clark and 1,866 for Matt Williams across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Matt Williams are home runs (378 to 284) and RBI (1,218 to 1,205). At the plate, Will Clark struck out more than walked (1,190 to 937), and Matt Williams struck out more than walked (1,363 to 469). Home runs make up a larger share of Matt Williams's hits: 284 of 2,176 for Will Clark, 378 of 1,878 for Matt Williams.
Will Clark vs Matt Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Will Clark or Matt Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Will Clark leads Matt Williams in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Will Clark or Matt Williams hit more home runs?
- Matt Williams, with 378 to Will Clark's 284.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Will Clark, with .880 to Matt Williams's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Will Clark, with .303 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Will Clark, with 2,176 to Matt Williams's 1,878.