Hank Greenberg vs Alex Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Alex Rodriguez 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; Alex Rodriguez played 1994–2016 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 Alex Rodriguez (1994–2016) — 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; Alex Rodriguez finished with 3,115 hits and 696 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Alex Rodriguez's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Alex Rodriguez's .295.
- Who had more hits? Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 2,086 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Alex Rodriguez, with 54,389 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Alex Rodriguez's 1.
Hank Greenberg
Alex Rodriguez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Alex Rodriguez. 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 | Alex Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,784 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 10,566 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 3,115 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 548 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 31 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 696 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 2,086 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,338 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 2,287 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 329 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .295 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .550 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .930 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Alex Rodriguez leads Hank Greenberg 54,389 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Alex Rodriguez played 22 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,472). 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
Alex Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Alex Rodriguez 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 Alex Rodriguez. PIV agrees: Alex Rodriguez 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 Alex Rodriguez careers compare
No season is shared: Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947, Alex Rodriguez 1994–2016. The table compares 1,394 games of Hank Greenberg with 2,784 of Alex Rodriguez across 13 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Plate discipline differs: Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), but Alex Rodriguez struck out more than walked (2,287 to 1,338). On the bases, Alex Rodriguez stole more often per game played (58 steals in 1,394 games for Hank Greenberg, 329 in 2,784 for Alex Rodriguez). In slugging percentage, Hank Greenberg holds the edge, .605 to .550.
Hank Greenberg vs Alex Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Alex Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Alex Rodriguez leads Hank Greenberg in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Alex Rodriguez hit more home runs?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Alex Rodriguez's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Alex Rodriguez's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.