Steve Garvey vs Paul Goldschmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Goldschmidt 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). Steve Garvey played 1969–1987 as a hitter; Paul Goldschmidt has played 2011–present 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
Steve Garvey (1969–1987) and Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Steve Garvey finished with 2,599 hits and 272 home runs; Paul Goldschmidt has 2,277 hits and 390 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Paul Goldschmidt, with 390 to Steve Garvey's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Goldschmidt, with .877 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average? Steve Garvey, with .294 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits? Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.
- Who drove in more runs? Steve Garvey, with 1,308 to Paul Goldschmidt's 1,284.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Goldschmidt, with 35,401 career PIV to Steve Garvey's 14,901.
- Who won more championships? Steve Garvey, with 1 World Series title to Paul Goldschmidt's 0.
Steve Garvey
Paul Goldschmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Steve Garvey and Paul Goldschmidt. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Goldschmidt is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Steve Garvey | Paul Goldschmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,332 | 2,179 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,835 | 7,953 |
| Runs | 1,143 | Leads: 1,324 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,599 | 2,277 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 490 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 25 |
| Home Runs | 272 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,308 | 1,284 |
| Walks | 479 | Leads: 1,115 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,003 | 2,065 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 175 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .286 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | .446 | Leads: .501 |
| OPS | .775 | Leads: .877 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Goldschmidt outpaces Steve Garvey 35,401 to 14,901 — driven by per-season impact — 2,360 PIV per season to 784 — rather than by longevity, since Paul Goldschmidt played 15 seasons to Steve Garvey's 19. 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).
Steve Garvey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Goldschmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Goldschmidt leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Steve Garvey owns hits, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Goldschmidt. PIV agrees: Paul Goldschmidt grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Garvey and Paul Goldschmidt careers compare
No season is shared: Steve Garvey played 1969–1987, Paul Goldschmidt 2011–present. The two careers are close in length, 2,332 games for Steve Garvey and 2,179 for Paul Goldschmidt across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Steve Garvey struck out more than walked (1,003 to 479), and Paul Goldschmidt struck out more than walked (2,065 to 1,115). Paul Goldschmidt is the more power-leaning hitter, with 390 of 2,277 hits leaving the park. Paul Goldschmidt was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Paul Goldschmidt holds the edge, .501 to .446. Paul Goldschmidt's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Steve Garvey vs Paul Goldschmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Garvey or Paul Goldschmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Goldschmidt leads Steve Garvey in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Steve Garvey or Paul Goldschmidt hit more home runs?
- Paul Goldschmidt, with 390 to Steve Garvey's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Goldschmidt, with .877 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Steve Garvey, with .294 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.