Curtis Granderson vs Carlos Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Carlos Lee has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Curtis Granderson played 2004–2019 as a hitter; Carlos Lee played 1999–2012 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
Curtis Granderson (2004–2019) and Carlos Lee (1999–2012) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Curtis Granderson finished with 1,800 hits and 344 home runs; Carlos Lee finished with 2,273 hits and 358 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carlos Lee, with 358 to Curtis Granderson's 344.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carlos Lee, with .821 to Curtis Granderson's .803.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlos Lee, with .285 to Curtis Granderson's .249.
- Who had more hits? Carlos Lee, with 2,273 to Curtis Granderson's 1,800.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlos Lee, with 1,363 to Curtis Granderson's 937.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carlos Lee, with 13,870 career PIV to Curtis Granderson's 13,634.
Curtis Granderson
Carlos Lee
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Curtis Granderson and Carlos Lee. 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 2000s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Curtis Granderson | Carlos Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,057 | Leads: 2,099 |
| At-Bats | 7,236 | Leads: 7,983 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,217 | 1,125 |
| Hits | 1,800 | Leads: 2,273 |
| Doubles | 346 | Leads: 469 |
| Triples | Leads: 95 | 19 |
| Home Runs | 344 | Leads: 358 |
| RBI | 937 | Leads: 1,363 |
| Walks | Leads: 924 | 655 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,916 | 984 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 153 | 125 |
| Batting Avg | .249 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .337 | Leads: .339 |
| Slugging % | .465 | Leads: .483 |
| OPS | .803 | Leads: .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carlos Lee edges Curtis Granderson 13,870 to 13,634 — driven by per-season impact — 867 PIV per season to 757 — rather than by longevity, since Carlos Lee played 16 seasons to Curtis Granderson's 18. 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).
Curtis Granderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carlos Lee — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carlos Lee leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Curtis Granderson owns runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carlos Lee. PIV agrees: Carlos Lee grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Curtis Granderson and Carlos Lee careers compare
Curtis Granderson and Carlos Lee were active at the same time between 2004 and 2012. With 2,057 games against 2,099 across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Curtis Granderson's edges on the table are runs (1,217 to 1,125), triples (95 to 19), and walks (924 to 655). At the plate, Curtis Granderson struck out more than walked (1,916 to 924), and Carlos Lee struck out more than walked (984 to 655). Curtis Granderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Curtis Granderson vs Carlos Lee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Curtis Granderson or Carlos Lee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carlos Lee leads Curtis Granderson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Curtis Granderson or Carlos Lee hit more home runs?
- Carlos Lee, with 358 to Curtis Granderson's 344.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carlos Lee, with .821 to Curtis Granderson's .803.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlos Lee, with .285 to Curtis Granderson's .249.
- Who had more hits?
- Carlos Lee, with 2,273 to Curtis Granderson's 1,800.