Carlton Fisk vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Stargell 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). Carlton Fisk played 1969–1993 as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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 Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Carlton Fisk finished with 2,356 hits and 376 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Carlton Fisk's 376.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Carlton Fisk's .269.
- Who had more hits? Carlton Fisk, with 2,356 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Carlton Fisk's 1,330.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Carlton Fisk's 21,513.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Carlton Fisk's 0.
Carlton Fisk
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlton Fisk and Willie Stargell. 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 | Carlton Fisk | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,499 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,756 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,276 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,356 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | 421 | Leads: 423 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 376 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,330 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | 849 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,386 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 128 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .269 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .457 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .797 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Carlton Fisk 42,804 to 21,513 — driven by per-season impact — 2,038 PIV per season to 896 — rather than by longevity, since Willie Stargell played 21 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
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Carlton Fisk owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlton Fisk and Willie Stargell careers compare
The careers of Carlton Fisk (1969–1993) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) overlapped from 1969 to 1982, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,499 games against 2,360 across 24 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Carlton Fisk struck out more than walked (1,386 to 849); Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Willie Stargell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 475 of 2,232 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Carlton Fisk stole more often per game played (128 steals in 2,499 games for Carlton Fisk, 17 in 2,360 for Willie Stargell).
Carlton Fisk vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlton Fisk or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Stargell leads Carlton Fisk in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlton Fisk or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Carlton Fisk's 376.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Carlton Fisk's .269.
- Who had more hits?
- Carlton Fisk, with 2,356 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.