Hank Greenberg vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro 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). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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 Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Rafael Palmeiro's 42,814.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Hank Greenberg
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg edges Rafael Palmeiro 43,523 to 42,814 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 2,141 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg played 13 seasons to Rafael Palmeiro's 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).
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hank Greenberg owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. Note that PIV actually grades Hank Greenberg ahead, which means Rafael Palmeiro's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Greenberg and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
No season is shared: Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947, Rafael Palmeiro 1986–2005. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Hank Greenberg appeared in 1,394 games to Rafael Palmeiro's 2,831. Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts); Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Hank Greenberg owns the better peak by OPS: 1.122 OPS in 1938 for Hank Greenberg against 1.050 OPS in 1999 for Rafael Palmeiro.
Hank Greenberg vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Hank Greenberg in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.