Carlton Fisk vs Edgar Martinez: Career Stats Comparison
Carlton Fisk has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Carlton Fisk played 1969–1993 as a hitter; Edgar Martinez played 1987–2004 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
Carlton Fisk (1969–1993) and Edgar Martinez (1987–2004) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Carlton Fisk finished with 2,356 hits and 376 home runs; Edgar Martinez finished with 2,247 hits and 309 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carlton Fisk, with 376 to Edgar Martinez's 309.
- Who had the higher OPS? Edgar Martinez, with .933 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average? Edgar Martinez, with .312 to Carlton Fisk's .269.
- Who had more hits? Carlton Fisk, with 2,356 to Edgar Martinez's 2,247.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlton Fisk, with 1,330 to Edgar Martinez's 1,261.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Edgar Martinez, with 41,586 career PIV to Carlton Fisk's 21,513.
Carlton Fisk
Edgar Martinez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlton Fisk and Edgar Martinez. 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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carlton Fisk | Edgar Martinez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,499 | 2,055 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,756 | 7,213 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,276 | 1,219 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,356 | 2,247 |
| Doubles | 421 | Leads: 514 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 15 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 376 | 309 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,330 | 1,261 |
| Walks | 849 | Leads: 1,283 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,386 | 1,202 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 128 | 49 |
| Batting Avg | .269 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .418 |
| Slugging % | .457 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .797 | Leads: .933 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Edgar Martinez outpaces Carlton Fisk 41,586 to 21,513 — driven by per-season impact — 2,310 PIV per season to 896 — rather than by longevity, since Edgar Martinez played 18 seasons to Carlton Fisk's 24. 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).
Carlton Fisk — top 3 seasons by OPS
Edgar Martinez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carlton Fisk leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Edgar Martinez owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carlton Fisk. Note that PIV actually grades Edgar Martinez ahead, which means Carlton Fisk's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlton Fisk and Edgar Martinez careers compare
The careers of Carlton Fisk (1969–1993) and Edgar Martinez (1987–2004) overlapped from 1987 to 1993, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,499 games against 2,055 across 24 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Carlton Fisk struck out more than walked (1,386 to 849), but Edgar Martinez walked more often than struck out (1,283 walks, 1,202 strikeouts). Carlton Fisk was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Edgar Martinez's slugging percentage of .515 tops Carlton Fisk's .457. Edgar Martinez owns the better peak by OPS: .922 OPS in 1977 for Carlton Fisk against 1.107 OPS in 1995 for Edgar Martinez.
Carlton Fisk vs Edgar Martinez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlton Fisk or Edgar Martinez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carlton Fisk leads Edgar Martinez in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlton Fisk or Edgar Martinez hit more home runs?
- Carlton Fisk, with 376 to Edgar Martinez's 309.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Edgar Martinez, with .933 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Edgar Martinez, with .312 to Carlton Fisk's .269.
- Who had more hits?
- Carlton Fisk, with 2,356 to Edgar Martinez's 2,247.