Joe DiMaggio vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Joe DiMaggio played 1936–1951 as a hitter; Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 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
Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) and Ken Griffey (1989–2010) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 home runs; Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey, with 630 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Joe DiMaggio's 1,537.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe DiMaggio, with 47,427 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 43,975.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Joe DiMaggio
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe DiMaggio and Ken Griffey. 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 1930s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe DiMaggio | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,736 | Leads: 2,671 |
| At-Bats | 6,821 | Leads: 9,801 |
| Runs | 1,390 | Leads: 1,662 |
| Hits | 2,214 | Leads: 2,781 |
| Doubles | 389 | Leads: 524 |
| Triples | Leads: 131 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 361 | Leads: 630 |
| RBI | 1,537 | Leads: 1,836 |
| Walks | 790 | Leads: 1,312 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 369 | 1,779 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .370 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .579 | .538 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .907 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe DiMaggio edges Ken Griffey 47,427 to 43,975 — driven by per-season impact — 3,648 PIV per season to 1,912 — rather than by longevity, since Joe DiMaggio played 13 seasons to Ken Griffey's 23. 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).
Joe DiMaggio — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe DiMaggio owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. Note that PIV actually grades Joe DiMaggio ahead, which means Ken Griffey's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe DiMaggio and Ken Griffey careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Joe DiMaggio's ended in 1951, and Ken Griffey debuted in 1989. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Joe DiMaggio appeared in 1,736 games to Ken Griffey's 2,671. At the plate, Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts), while Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312). Ken Griffey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 630 of 2,781 hits leaving the park. Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Joe DiMaggio holds the edge, .398 to .370.
Joe DiMaggio vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe DiMaggio or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Joe DiMaggio in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe DiMaggio or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.