Steve Garvey vs George Sisler: Career Stats Comparison
George Sisler 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; George Sisler played 1915–1930 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 George Sisler (1915–1930) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1910s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Steve Garvey finished with 2,599 hits and 272 home runs; George Sisler finished with 2,812 hits and 102 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 George Sisler's 102.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Sisler, with .847 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Sisler, with .340 to Steve Garvey's .294.
- Who had more hits? George Sisler, with 2,812 to Steve Garvey's 2,599.
- Who drove in more runs? Steve Garvey, with 1,308 to George Sisler's 1,175.
- Who has the higher career PIV? George Sisler, with 29,261 career PIV to Steve Garvey's 14,901.
- Who won more championships? Steve Garvey, with 1 World Series title to George Sisler's 0.
Steve Garvey
George Sisler
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Steve Garvey and George Sisler. 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 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Garvey | George Sisler |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,332 | 2,055 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,835 | 8,267 |
| Runs | 1,143 | Leads: 1,284 |
| Hits | 2,599 | Leads: 2,812 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 425 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 164 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 272 | 102 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,308 | 1,175 |
| Walks | Leads: 479 | 472 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,003 | 327 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 375 |
| Batting Avg | .294 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | .446 | Leads: .468 |
| OPS | .775 | Leads: .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Sisler outpaces Steve Garvey 29,261 to 14,901 — driven by per-season impact — 1,829 PIV per season to 784 — rather than by longevity, since George Sisler played 16 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
George Sisler — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Sisler leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Steve Garvey owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to George Sisler. PIV agrees: George Sisler 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 George Sisler careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: George Sisler's ended in 1930, and Steve Garvey debuted in 1969. The two careers are close in length, 2,332 games for Steve Garvey and 2,055 for George Sisler across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Steve Garvey struck out more than walked (1,003 to 479), but George Sisler walked more often than struck out (472 walks, 327 strikeouts). Steve Garvey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 272 of 2,599 hits leaving the park. On the bases, George Sisler stole more often per game played (83 steals in 2,332 games for Steve Garvey, 375 in 2,055 for George Sisler).
Steve Garvey vs George Sisler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Garvey or George Sisler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Sisler leads Steve Garvey in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Steve Garvey or George Sisler hit more home runs?
- Steve Garvey, with 272 to George Sisler's 102.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Sisler, with .847 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Sisler, with .340 to Steve Garvey's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- George Sisler, with 2,812 to Steve Garvey's 2,599.