Ken Griffey Jr. vs Rickey Henderson: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey Jr. and Rickey Henderson are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ken Griffey Jr. played 1989–2010 as a hitter; Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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 Jr. (1989–2010) and Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) — they debuted in the 1980s and the 1970s respectively and share 15 seasons. Ken Griffey Jr. finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs; Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey Jr., with 630 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey Jr., with .907 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey Jr., with .284 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Ken Griffey Jr.'s 2,781.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey Jr., with 1,836 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey Jr., with 43,975 career PIV to Rickey Henderson's 37,642.
Ken Griffey Jr.
Rickey Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey Jr. and Rickey Henderson. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 Jr. | Rickey Henderson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,671 | 3,081 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,801 | 10,961 |
| Runs | 1,662 | Leads: 2,295 |
| Hits | 2,781 | Leads: 3,055 |
| Doubles | Leads: 524 | 510 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 297 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,836 | 1,115 |
| Walks | 1,312 | Leads: 2,190 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,694 |
| Stolen Bases | 184 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .401 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .538 | .419 |
| OPS | Leads: .907 | .820 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey Jr. leads Rickey Henderson 43,975 to 37,642 — driven by per-season impact — 1,999 PIV per season to 1,506 — rather than by longevity, since Ken Griffey Jr. played 22 seasons to Rickey Henderson's 25. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Ken Griffey Jr. — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ken Griffey Jr. and Rickey Henderson split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Ken Griffey Jr. higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Griffey Jr. and Rickey Henderson careers compare
The careers of Ken Griffey Jr. (1989–2010) and Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) overlapped from 1989 to 2003, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,671 games against 3,081 across 22 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Ken Griffey Jr. struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312), while Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts). Ken Griffey Jr. is the more power-leaning hitter, with 630 of 2,781 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Rickey Henderson stole more often per game played (184 steals in 2,671 games for Ken Griffey Jr., 1,406 in 3,081 for Rickey Henderson).
Ken Griffey Jr. vs Rickey Henderson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey Jr. or Rickey Henderson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Ken Griffey Jr. or Rickey Henderson hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey Jr., with 630 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey Jr., with .907 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey Jr., with .284 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Ken Griffey Jr.'s 2,781.