George Foster vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey 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). George Foster played 1969–1986 as a hitter; Ken Griffey played 1973–1991 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
George Foster (1969–1986) and Ken Griffey (1973–1991) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Foster finished with 1,925 hits and 348 home runs; Ken Griffey finished with 2,143 hits and 152 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? George Foster, with 348 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Foster, with .818 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey, with .296 to George Foster's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to George Foster's 1,925.
- Who drove in more runs? George Foster, with 1,239 to Ken Griffey's 859.
- Who has the higher career PIV? George Foster, with 20,637 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 15,957.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 3 World Series titles.
George Foster
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Foster 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Foster | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,977 | Leads: 2,097 |
| At-Bats | 7,023 | Leads: 7,229 |
| Runs | 986 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Hits | 1,925 | Leads: 2,143 |
| Doubles | 307 | Leads: 364 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 77 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 348 | 152 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,239 | 859 |
| Walks | 666 | Leads: 719 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,419 | 898 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 200 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | .338 | Leads: .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .818 | .790 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Foster leads Ken Griffey 20,637 to 15,957 — driven by per-season impact — 1,032 PIV per season to 725 — rather than by longevity, since George Foster played 20 seasons to Ken Griffey's 22. 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).
George Foster — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while George Foster owns home runs, RBI, 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 George Foster 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 George Foster and Ken Griffey careers compare
The careers of George Foster (1969–1986) and Ken Griffey (1973–1991) overlapped from 1973 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,977 games against 2,097 across 20 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. George Foster's edges on the table are home runs (348 to 152), RBI (1,239 to 859), and slugging percentage (.480 to .431). George Foster struck out more than walked (1,419 to 666); Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (898 to 719). George Foster is the more power-leaning hitter, with 348 of 1,925 hits leaving the park.
George Foster vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Foster or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads George Foster in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Foster or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- George Foster, with 348 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Foster, with .818 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey, with .296 to George Foster's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to George Foster's 1,925.