Phil Garner vs Bobby Grich: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Grich has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Phil Garner played 1973–1988 as a hitter; Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 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
Phil Garner (1973–1988) and Bobby Grich (1970–1986) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Phil Garner finished with 1,594 hits and 109 home runs; Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bobby Grich, with 224 to Phil Garner's 109.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Grich, with .794 to Phil Garner's .711.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Grich, with .266 to Phil Garner's .260.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Grich, with 1,833 to Phil Garner's 1,594.
- Who drove in more runs? Bobby Grich, with 864 to Phil Garner's 738.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Grich, with 20,680 career PIV to Phil Garner's 528.
- Who won more championships? Phil Garner, with 3 World Series titles to Bobby Grich's 1.
Phil Garner
Bobby Grich
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Phil Garner and Bobby Grich. 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 | Phil Garner | Bobby Grich |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,860 | Leads: 2,008 |
| At-Bats | 6,136 | Leads: 6,890 |
| Runs | 780 | Leads: 1,033 |
| Hits | 1,594 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Doubles | 299 | Leads: 320 |
| Triples | Leads: 82 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 109 | Leads: 224 |
| RBI | 738 | Leads: 864 |
| Walks | 564 | Leads: 1,087 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 842 | 1,278 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 225 | 104 |
| Batting Avg | .260 | Leads: .266 |
| On-Base % | .323 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | .389 | Leads: .424 |
| OPS | .711 | Leads: .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Grich outpaces Phil Garner 20,680 to 528 — driven by per-season impact — 1,216 PIV per season to 29 — rather than by longevity, since Bobby Grich played 17 seasons to Phil Garner's 18. 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).
Phil Garner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Grich leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Phil Garner owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Grich. PIV agrees: Bobby Grich grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Phil Garner and Bobby Grich careers compare
From 1973 through 1986, Phil Garner and Bobby Grich were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,860 games for Phil Garner and 2,008 for Bobby Grich across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Phil Garner's edges on the table are triples (82 to 47) and stolen bases (225 to 104). At the plate, Phil Garner struck out more than walked (842 to 564), and Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087). Home runs make up a larger share of Bobby Grich's hits: 109 of 1,594 for Phil Garner, 224 of 1,833 for Bobby Grich.
Phil Garner vs Bobby Grich: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Phil Garner or Bobby Grich?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bobby Grich leads Phil Garner in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Phil Garner or Bobby Grich hit more home runs?
- Bobby Grich, with 224 to Phil Garner's 109.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Grich, with .794 to Phil Garner's .711.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Grich, with .266 to Phil Garner's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Grich, with 1,833 to Phil Garner's 1,594.