Hank Greenberg vs Todd Helton: Career Stats Comparison
Todd Helton 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). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Todd Helton played 1997–2013 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
Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) and Todd Helton (1997–2013) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Todd Helton finished with 2,519 hits and 369 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Todd Helton, with 369 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Todd Helton's .953.
- Who had the higher batting average? Todd Helton, with .316 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits? Todd Helton, with 2,519 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Todd Helton, with 1,406 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Todd Helton, with 48,515 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Todd Helton's 0.
Hank Greenberg
Todd Helton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Todd Helton. 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 1930s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Todd Helton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,247 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 7,962 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,401 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,519 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 592 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 37 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 369 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,335 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 1,175 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 58 | 37 |
| Batting Avg | .313 | Leads: .316 |
| On-Base % | .412 | Leads: .414 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .539 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .953 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Todd Helton leads Hank Greenberg 48,515 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Todd Helton played 17 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,854). 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).
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Todd Helton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Todd Helton leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hank Greenberg owns stolen bases and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Todd Helton. PIV agrees: Todd Helton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Greenberg and Todd Helton careers compare
No season is shared: Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947, Todd Helton 1997–2013. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Hank Greenberg appeared in 1,394 games to Todd Helton's 2,247. Where Hank Greenberg comes out ahead, it is in triples (71 to 37), stolen bases (58 to 37), and slugging percentage (.605 to .539). Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts); Todd Helton walked more often than struck out (1,335 walks, 1,175 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Hank Greenberg's hits: 331 of 1,628 for Hank Greenberg, 369 of 2,519 for Todd Helton. Hank Greenberg's slugging percentage of .605 tops Todd Helton's .539.
Hank Greenberg vs Todd Helton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Todd Helton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Todd Helton leads Hank Greenberg in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Todd Helton hit more home runs?
- Todd Helton, with 369 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Todd Helton's .953.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Todd Helton, with .316 to Hank Greenberg's .313.
- Who had more hits?
- Todd Helton, with 2,519 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.