Kirk Gibson vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Dave Winfield played 1973–1995 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 Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — 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; Dave Winfield finished with 3,110 hits and 465 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Winfield, with 465 to Kirk Gibson's 255.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dave Winfield, with .827 to Kirk Gibson's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Winfield, with .283 to Kirk Gibson's .268.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Kirk Gibson's 1,553.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Kirk Gibson's 870.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Winfield, with 34,842 career PIV to Kirk Gibson's 15,883.
- Who won more championships? Kirk Gibson, with 2 World Series titles to Dave Winfield's 1.
Kirk Gibson
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Kirk Gibson and Dave Winfield. 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 | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,635 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 5,798 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 985 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 1,553 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | 260 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 54 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 255 | Leads: 465 |
| RBI | 870 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | 718 | Leads: 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,285 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 284 | 223 |
| Batting Avg | .268 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .353 |
| Slugging % | .463 | Leads: .475 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Winfield outpaces Kirk Gibson 34,842 to 15,883 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,515 PIV per season to 934, across 23 seasons to 17. 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
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Winfield leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Kirk Gibson owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Winfield. PIV agrees: Dave Winfield 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 Dave Winfield careers compare
From 1979 through 1995, Kirk Gibson and Dave Winfield were in the majors together. The table compares 1,635 games of Kirk Gibson with 2,973 of Dave Winfield across 17 and 23 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Kirk Gibson comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (284 to 223). At the plate, Kirk Gibson struck out more than walked (1,285 to 718), and Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216). Kirk Gibson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Dave Winfield holds the edge, .353 to .352.
Kirk Gibson vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kirk Gibson or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Winfield leads Kirk Gibson in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Kirk Gibson or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Dave Winfield, with 465 to Kirk Gibson's 255.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dave Winfield, with .827 to Kirk Gibson's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Winfield, with .283 to Kirk Gibson's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Kirk Gibson's 1,553.