Roberto Clemente vs Steve Garvey: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente 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). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Steve Garvey played 1969–1987 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
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Steve Garvey (1969–1987) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Steve Garvey finished with 2,599 hits and 272 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Steve Garvey, with 272 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Steve Garvey's .294.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Steve Garvey's 2,599.
- Who drove in more runs? Steve Garvey, with 1,308 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Steve Garvey's 14,901.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Steve Garvey's 1.
Roberto Clemente
Steve Garvey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Steve Garvey. 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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Steve Garvey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,433 | 2,332 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 8,835 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,143 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,599 |
| Doubles | 440 | 440 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 43 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 272 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,308 |
| Walks | Leads: 621 | 479 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,003 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | 83 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .294 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .446 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .775 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces Steve Garvey 34,131 to 14,901 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 784 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Steve Garvey'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).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Steve Garvey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Steve Garvey owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roberto Clemente. PIV agrees: Roberto Clemente grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Steve Garvey careers compare
From 1969 through 1972, Roberto Clemente and Steve Garvey were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 2,332 for Steve Garvey across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Steve Garvey are home runs (272 to 240) and RBI (1,308 to 1,305). At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), and Steve Garvey struck out more than walked (1,003 to 479). Home runs make up a larger share of Steve Garvey's hits: 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente, 272 of 2,599 for Steve Garvey.
Roberto Clemente vs Steve Garvey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Steve Garvey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Steve Garvey in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Steve Garvey hit more home runs?
- Steve Garvey, with 272 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Steve Garvey's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Steve Garvey's 2,599.