Ken Griffey vs Chet Lemon: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ken Griffey played 1973–1991 as a hitter; Chet Lemon played 1975–1990 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
Ken Griffey (1973–1991) and Chet Lemon (1975–1990) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ken Griffey finished with 2,143 hits and 152 home runs; Chet Lemon finished with 1,875 hits and 215 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Chet Lemon, with 215 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS? Chet Lemon, with .797 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey, with .296 to Chet Lemon's .273.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Chet Lemon's 1,875.
- Who drove in more runs? Chet Lemon, with 884 to Ken Griffey's 859.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Chet Lemon, with 17,435 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 15,957.
- Who won more championships? Ken Griffey, with 3 World Series titles to Chet Lemon's 1.
Ken Griffey
Chet Lemon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Chet Lemon. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Griffey | Chet Lemon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,097 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,229 | 6,868 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,129 | 973 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,143 | 1,875 |
| Doubles | 364 | Leads: 396 |
| Triples | Leads: 77 | 61 |
| Home Runs | 152 | Leads: 215 |
| RBI | 859 | Leads: 884 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 749 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 898 | 1,024 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 200 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .355 |
| Slugging % | .431 | Leads: .442 |
| OPS | .790 | Leads: .797 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chet Lemon leads Ken Griffey 17,435 to 15,957 — driven by per-season impact — 1,090 PIV per season to 725 — rather than by longevity, since Chet Lemon played 16 seasons to Ken Griffey's 22. 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).
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Chet Lemon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Chet Lemon owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. Note that PIV actually grades Chet Lemon ahead, which means Ken Griffey's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Griffey and Chet Lemon careers compare
From 1975 through 1990, Ken Griffey and Chet Lemon were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,097 games for Ken Griffey and 1,988 for Chet Lemon across 22 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (898 to 719), and Chet Lemon struck out more than walked (1,024 to 749). Home runs make up a larger share of Chet Lemon's hits: 152 of 2,143 for Ken Griffey, 215 of 1,875 for Chet Lemon. Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Chet Lemon holds the edge, .442 to .431.
Ken Griffey vs Chet Lemon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Chet Lemon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Chet Lemon in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Chet Lemon hit more home runs?
- Chet Lemon, with 215 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Chet Lemon, with .797 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey, with .296 to Chet Lemon's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Chet Lemon's 1,875.