Steve Garvey vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Garvey and Ted Simmons are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Steve Garvey played 1969–1987 as a hitter; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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 Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Steve Garvey finished with 2,599 hits and 272 home runs; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Steve Garvey, with 272 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Simmons, with .785 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average? Steve Garvey, with .294 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Steve Garvey's 1,308.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Steve Garvey's 14,901.
- Who won more championships? Steve Garvey, with 1 World Series title to Ted Simmons's 0.
Steve Garvey
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Steve Garvey and Ted Simmons. 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 | Steve Garvey | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,332 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,835 | 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,143 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,599 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 272 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,308 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 479 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,003 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .446 | .437 |
| OPS | .775 | Leads: .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons outpaces Steve Garvey 20,131 to 14,901 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 959 PIV per season to 784, across 21 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
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Garvey leads in hits, home runs, runs, and stolen bases, while Ted Simmons owns RBI, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Garvey. Note that PIV actually grades Ted Simmons ahead, which means Steve Garvey's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Garvey and Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Steve Garvey (1969–1987) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1969 to 1987, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,332 games against 2,456 across 19 and 21 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), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). In slugging percentage, Steve Garvey holds the edge, .446 to .437. Ted Simmons owns the better peak by OPS: .852 OPS in 1978 for Steve Garvey against .908 OPS in 1977 for Ted Simmons.
Steve Garvey vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Steve Garvey or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Steve Garvey, with 272 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Simmons, with .785 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Steve Garvey, with .294 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.