Hank Greenberg vs Mike Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Schmidt 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; Mike Schmidt played 1972–1989 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 Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Mike Schmidt finished with 2,234 hits and 548 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Mike Schmidt's .908.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits? Mike Schmidt, with 2,234 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Schmidt, with 1,595 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Schmidt, with 49,630 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Mike Schmidt's 1.
Hank Greenberg
Mike Schmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Mike Schmidt. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Mike Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,404 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 8,352 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,506 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,234 |
| Doubles | 379 | Leads: 408 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 548 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,595 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 1,883 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 174 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .527 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .908 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Schmidt leads Hank Greenberg 49,630 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Mike Schmidt played 18 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,757). 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
Mike Schmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Schmidt 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 Mike Schmidt. PIV agrees: Mike Schmidt 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 Mike Schmidt careers compare
Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) was finished before Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) arrived, so they never shared a league. Mike Schmidt has the far longer record, 2,404 games against 1,394 across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. At the plate, Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), while Mike Schmidt struck out more than walked (1,883 to 1,507). Mike Schmidt was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Hank Greenberg holds the edge, .412 to .380. Hank Greenberg owns the better peak by OPS: 1.122 OPS in 1938 for Hank Greenberg against 1.080 OPS in 1981 for Mike Schmidt.
Hank Greenberg vs Mike Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Mike Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Schmidt leads Hank Greenberg in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Mike Schmidt hit more home runs?
- Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Mike Schmidt's .908.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Mike Schmidt, with 2,234 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.