Brian Downing vs Pedro Guerrero: Career Stats Comparison
Brian Downing 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). Brian Downing played 1973–1992 as a hitter; Pedro Guerrero played 1978–1992 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
Brian Downing (1973–1992) and Pedro Guerrero (1978–1992) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Brian Downing finished with 2,099 hits and 275 home runs; Pedro Guerrero finished with 1,618 hits and 215 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Brian Downing, with 275 to Pedro Guerrero's 215.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pedro Guerrero, with .850 to Brian Downing's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pedro Guerrero, with .300 to Brian Downing's .267.
- Who had more hits? Brian Downing, with 2,099 to Pedro Guerrero's 1,618.
- Who drove in more runs? Brian Downing, with 1,073 to Pedro Guerrero's 898.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Brian Downing, with 22,792 career PIV to Pedro Guerrero's 21,254.
- Who won more championships? Pedro Guerrero, with 2 World Series titles to Brian Downing's 0.
Brian Downing
Pedro Guerrero
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Brian Downing and Pedro Guerrero. 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 | Brian Downing | Pedro Guerrero |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,344 | 1,536 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,853 | 5,392 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,188 | 730 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,099 | 1,618 |
| Doubles | Leads: 360 | 267 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 29 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 275 | 215 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,073 | 898 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,197 | 609 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,127 | 862 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .300 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .370 | .370 |
| Slugging % | .425 | Leads: .480 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .850 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Brian Downing edges Pedro Guerrero 22,792 to 21,254 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Brian Downing played 20 seasons to Pedro Guerrero's 16, while Pedro Guerrero carries the higher per-season figure (1,328 to 1,140). 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).
Brian Downing — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pedro Guerrero — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Brian Downing leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Pedro Guerrero owns stolen bases, batting average, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Brian Downing. PIV agrees: Brian Downing grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brian Downing and Pedro Guerrero careers compare
Brian Downing and Pedro Guerrero were active at the same time between 1978 and 1992. Brian Downing has the far longer record, 2,344 games against 1,536 across 20 and 16 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Plate discipline differs: Brian Downing walked more often than struck out (1,197 walks, 1,127 strikeouts), but Pedro Guerrero struck out more than walked (862 to 609). In on-base percentage, Brian Downing holds the edge, .370 to .370. Pedro Guerrero owns the better peak by OPS: .886 OPS in 1987 for Brian Downing against .999 OPS in 1985 for Pedro Guerrero.
Brian Downing vs Pedro Guerrero: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brian Downing or Pedro Guerrero?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Brian Downing leads Pedro Guerrero in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Brian Downing or Pedro Guerrero hit more home runs?
- Brian Downing, with 275 to Pedro Guerrero's 215.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pedro Guerrero, with .850 to Brian Downing's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pedro Guerrero, with .300 to Brian Downing's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Brian Downing, with 2,099 to Pedro Guerrero's 1,618.