George Foster vs Tony Perez: Career Stats Comparison
Tony Perez has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Tony Perez played 1964–1986 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 Tony Perez (1964–1986) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. George Foster finished with 1,925 hits and 348 home runs; Tony Perez finished with 2,732 hits and 379 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Tony Perez, with 379 to George Foster's 348.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Foster, with .818 to Tony Perez's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tony Perez, with .279 to George Foster's .274.
- Who had more hits? Tony Perez, with 2,732 to George Foster's 1,925.
- Who drove in more runs? Tony Perez, with 1,652 to George Foster's 1,239.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tony Perez, with 28,896 career PIV to George Foster's 20,637.
- Who won more championships? George Foster, with 3 World Series titles to Tony Perez's 2.
George Foster
Tony Perez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Foster and Tony Perez. 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 | George Foster | Tony Perez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,977 | Leads: 2,777 |
| At-Bats | 7,023 | Leads: 9,778 |
| Runs | 986 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 1,925 | Leads: 2,732 |
| Doubles | 307 | Leads: 505 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | 348 | Leads: 379 |
| RBI | 1,239 | Leads: 1,652 |
| Walks | 666 | Leads: 925 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,419 | 1,867 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 51 | 49 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | .338 | Leads: .341 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .463 |
| OPS | Leads: .818 | .804 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tony Perez outpaces George Foster 28,896 to 20,637 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,256 PIV per season to 1,032, across 23 seasons to 20. 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
Tony Perez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tony Perez leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Foster owns stolen bases and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tony Perez. PIV agrees: Tony Perez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Foster and Tony Perez careers compare
The careers of George Foster (1969–1986) and Tony Perez (1964–1986) overlapped from 1969 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,977 games against 2,777 across 20 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where George Foster comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (51 to 49), slugging percentage (.480 to .463), and OPS (.818 to .804). George Foster struck out more than walked (1,419 to 666); Tony Perez struck out more than walked (1,867 to 925). Home runs make up a larger share of George Foster's hits: 348 of 1,925 for George Foster, 379 of 2,732 for Tony Perez.
George Foster vs Tony Perez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Foster or Tony Perez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tony Perez leads George Foster in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Foster or Tony Perez hit more home runs?
- Tony Perez, with 379 to George Foster's 348.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Foster, with .818 to Tony Perez's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tony Perez, with .279 to George Foster's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Tony Perez, with 2,732 to George Foster's 1,925.