Steve Garvey vs Harmon Killebrew: Career Stats Comparison
Harmon Killebrew 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; Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 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 Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Steve Garvey finished with 2,599 hits and 272 home runs; Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Steve Garvey's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average? Steve Garvey, with .294 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Steve Garvey's 1,308.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Steve Garvey's 14,901.
- Who won more championships? Steve Garvey, with 1 World Series title to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Steve Garvey
Harmon Killebrew
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Steve Garvey and Harmon Killebrew. 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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Garvey | Harmon Killebrew |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,332 | Leads: 2,435 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,835 | 8,147 |
| Runs | 1,143 | Leads: 1,283 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,599 | 2,086 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 290 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 272 | Leads: 573 |
| RBI | 1,308 | Leads: 1,584 |
| Walks | 479 | Leads: 1,559 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,003 | 1,699 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .256 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .446 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .775 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew outpaces Steve Garvey 48,240 to 14,901 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,193 PIV per season to 784, across 22 seasons to 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
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harmon Killebrew leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Steve Garvey owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harmon Killebrew. PIV agrees: Harmon Killebrew 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 Harmon Killebrew careers compare
From 1969 through 1975, Steve Garvey and Harmon Killebrew were in the majors together. With 2,332 games against 2,435 across 19 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Steve Garvey struck out more than walked (1,003 to 479), and Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559). Harmon Killebrew is the more power-leaning hitter, with 573 of 2,086 hits leaving the park. Harmon Killebrew's on-base percentage of .376 tops Steve Garvey's .329. Harmon Killebrew owns the better peak by OPS: .852 OPS in 1978 for Steve Garvey against 1.012 OPS in 1961 for Harmon Killebrew.
Steve Garvey vs Harmon Killebrew: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Garvey or Harmon Killebrew?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harmon Killebrew leads Steve Garvey in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Steve Garvey or Harmon Killebrew hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Steve Garvey's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Steve Garvey, with .294 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.