Kirk Gibson vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Kirk Gibson played 1979–1995 as a hitter; Ken Griffey played 1973–1991 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
Kirk Gibson (1979–1995) and Ken Griffey (1973–1991) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Kirk Gibson finished with 1,553 hits and 255 home runs; Ken Griffey finished with 2,143 hits and 152 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Kirk Gibson, with 255 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kirk Gibson, with .815 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey, with .296 to Kirk Gibson's .268.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Kirk Gibson's 1,553.
- Who drove in more runs? Kirk Gibson, with 870 to Ken Griffey's 859.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 15,957 career PIV to Kirk Gibson's 15,883.
- Who won more championships? Ken Griffey, with 3 World Series titles to Kirk Gibson's 2.
Kirk Gibson
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Kirk Gibson and Ken Griffey. 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 | Kirk Gibson | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,635 | Leads: 2,097 |
| At-Bats | 5,798 | Leads: 7,229 |
| Runs | 985 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Hits | 1,553 | Leads: 2,143 |
| Doubles | 260 | Leads: 364 |
| Triples | 54 | Leads: 77 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 255 | 152 |
| RBI | Leads: 870 | 859 |
| Walks | 718 | Leads: 719 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,285 | 898 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 284 | 200 |
| Batting Avg | .268 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .463 | .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .790 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey edges Kirk Gibson 15,957 to 15,883 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ken Griffey played 22 seasons to Kirk Gibson's 17, while Kirk Gibson carries the higher per-season figure (934 to 725). 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).
Kirk Gibson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Kirk Gibson owns home runs, RBI, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. PIV agrees: Ken Griffey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kirk Gibson and Ken Griffey careers compare
The careers of Kirk Gibson (1979–1995) and Ken Griffey (1973–1991) overlapped from 1979 to 1991, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,635 games for Kirk Gibson and 2,097 for Ken Griffey across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Kirk Gibson struck out more than walked (1,285 to 718); Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (898 to 719). Home runs make up a larger share of Kirk Gibson's hits: 255 of 1,553 for Kirk Gibson, 152 of 2,143 for Ken Griffey.
Kirk Gibson vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kirk Gibson or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Kirk Gibson in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Kirk Gibson or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Kirk Gibson, with 255 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kirk Gibson, with .815 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey, with .296 to Kirk Gibson's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Kirk Gibson's 1,553.