Ken Griffey vs Edgar Martinez: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 as a hitter; Edgar Martinez played 1987–2004 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 (1989–2010) and Edgar Martinez (1987–2004) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs; Edgar Martinez finished with 2,247 hits and 309 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey, with 630 to Edgar Martinez's 309.
- Who had the higher OPS? Edgar Martinez, with .933 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Edgar Martinez, with .312 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Edgar Martinez's 2,247.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Edgar Martinez's 1,261.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 43,975 career PIV to Edgar Martinez's 41,586.
Ken Griffey
Edgar Martinez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Edgar Martinez. 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 | Edgar Martinez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,671 | 2,055 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,801 | 7,213 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,662 | 1,219 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,781 | 2,247 |
| Doubles | Leads: 524 | 514 |
| Triples | Leads: 38 | 15 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 309 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,836 | 1,261 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,312 | 1,283 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,202 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 49 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .418 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .538 | .515 |
| OPS | .907 | Leads: .933 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey edges Edgar Martinez 43,975 to 41,586 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ken Griffey played 23 seasons to Edgar Martinez's 18, while Edgar Martinez carries the higher per-season figure (2,310 to 1,912). 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
Edgar Martinez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Edgar Martinez owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. PIV agrees: Ken Griffey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Griffey and Edgar Martinez careers compare
The careers of Ken Griffey (1989–2010) and Edgar Martinez (1987–2004) overlapped from 1989 to 2004, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,671 games against 2,055 across 23 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Edgar Martinez's edges on the table are batting average (.312 to .284), on-base percentage (.418 to .370), and OPS (.933 to .907). At the plate, Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312), while Edgar Martinez walked more often than struck out (1,283 walks, 1,202 strikeouts). Ken Griffey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 630 of 2,781 hits leaving the park.
Ken Griffey vs Edgar Martinez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Edgar Martinez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Edgar Martinez in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Edgar Martinez hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Edgar Martinez's 309.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Edgar Martinez, with .933 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Edgar Martinez, with .312 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Edgar Martinez's 2,247.