Steve Garvey vs Reggie Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Garvey and Reggie Smith 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; Reggie Smith played 1966–1982 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 Reggie Smith (1966–1982) — 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; Reggie Smith finished with 2,020 hits and 314 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Smith, with 314 to Steve Garvey's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Smith, with .855 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average? Steve Garvey, with .294 to Reggie Smith's .287.
- Who had more hits? Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Steve Garvey, with 1,308 to Reggie Smith's 1,092.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Smith, with 32,131 career PIV to Steve Garvey's 14,901.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Steve Garvey
Reggie Smith
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Steve Garvey and Reggie Smith. 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 | Reggie Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,332 | 1,987 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,835 | 7,033 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,143 | 1,123 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,599 | 2,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 363 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 57 |
| Home Runs | 272 | Leads: 314 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,308 | 1,092 |
| Walks | 479 | Leads: 890 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,003 | 1,030 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .287 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .366 |
| Slugging % | .446 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .775 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Smith outpaces Steve Garvey 32,131 to 14,901 — driven by per-season impact — 1,785 PIV per season to 784 — rather than by longevity, since Reggie Smith played 18 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
Reggie Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Reggie Smith leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Steve Garvey owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Reggie Smith. PIV agrees: Reggie Smith 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 Reggie Smith careers compare
The careers of Steve Garvey (1969–1987) and Reggie Smith (1966–1982) overlapped from 1969 to 1982, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,332 games for Steve Garvey and 1,987 for Reggie Smith across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Steve Garvey struck out more than walked (1,003 to 479); Reggie Smith struck out more than walked (1,030 to 890). Home runs make up a larger share of Reggie Smith's hits: 272 of 2,599 for Steve Garvey, 314 of 2,020 for Reggie Smith.
Steve Garvey vs Reggie Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Steve Garvey or Reggie Smith hit more home runs?
- Reggie Smith, with 314 to Steve Garvey's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Smith, with .855 to Steve Garvey's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Steve Garvey, with .294 to Reggie Smith's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Steve Garvey, with 2,599 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.