Luis Gonzalez vs Rickey Henderson: Career Stats Comparison
Luis Gonzalez and Rickey Henderson are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Luis Gonzalez played 1990–2008 as a hitter; Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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
Luis Gonzalez (1990–2008) and Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Luis Gonzalez finished with 2,591 hits and 354 home runs; Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Luis Gonzalez, with 354 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Luis Gonzalez, with .845 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Luis Gonzalez, with .283 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Luis Gonzalez's 2,591.
- Who drove in more runs? Luis Gonzalez, with 1,439 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Luis Gonzalez's 24,585.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Luis Gonzalez's 1.
Luis Gonzalez
Rickey Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Luis Gonzalez and Rickey Henderson. 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 1990s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Luis Gonzalez | Rickey Henderson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,591 | Leads: 3,081 |
| At-Bats | 9,157 | Leads: 10,961 |
| Runs | 1,412 | Leads: 2,295 |
| Hits | 2,591 | Leads: 3,055 |
| Doubles | Leads: 596 | 510 |
| Triples | Leads: 68 | 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 354 | 297 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,439 | 1,115 |
| Walks | 1,155 | Leads: 2,190 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,218 | 1,694 |
| Stolen Bases | 128 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .283 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .367 | Leads: .401 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .479 | .419 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .820 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Luis Gonzalez 37,642 to 24,585 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,298 PIV per season to 1,229, across 29 seasons to 20. 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).
Luis Gonzalez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Luis Gonzalez owns home runs, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. PIV agrees: Rickey Henderson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Luis Gonzalez and Rickey Henderson careers compare
From 1990 through 2003, Luis Gonzalez and Rickey Henderson were in the majors together. With 2,591 games against 3,081 across 20 and 29 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Luis Gonzalez struck out more than walked (1,218 to 1,155), but Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Luis Gonzalez's hits: 354 of 2,591 for Luis Gonzalez, 297 of 3,055 for Rickey Henderson. On the bases, Rickey Henderson stole more often per game played (128 steals in 2,591 games for Luis Gonzalez, 1,406 in 3,081 for Rickey Henderson).
Luis Gonzalez vs Rickey Henderson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Luis Gonzalez or Rickey Henderson hit more home runs?
- Luis Gonzalez, with 354 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Luis Gonzalez, with .845 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Luis Gonzalez, with .283 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Luis Gonzalez's 2,591.