Ken Griffey vs Alex Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Alex Rodriguez has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; 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
Ken Griffey (1989–2010) and Alex Rodriguez (1994–2016) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 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 Ken Griffey's 630.
- Who had the higher OPS? Alex Rodriguez, with .930 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Alex Rodriguez, with .295 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.
- Who drove in more runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 2,086 to Ken Griffey's 1,836.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Alex Rodriguez, with 54,389 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 43,975.
- Who won more championships? Alex Rodriguez, with 1 World Series title to Ken Griffey's 0.
Ken Griffey
Alex Rodriguez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey 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 1980s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Griffey | Alex Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,671 | Leads: 2,784 |
| At-Bats | 9,801 | Leads: 10,566 |
| Runs | 1,662 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Hits | 2,781 | Leads: 3,115 |
| Doubles | 524 | Leads: 548 |
| Triples | Leads: 38 | 31 |
| Home Runs | 630 | Leads: 696 |
| RBI | 1,836 | Leads: 2,086 |
| Walks | 1,312 | Leads: 1,338 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 2,287 |
| Stolen Bases | 184 | Leads: 329 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .538 | Leads: .550 |
| OPS | .907 | Leads: .930 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Alex Rodriguez leads Ken Griffey 54,389 to 43,975 — driven by per-season impact — 2,472 PIV per season to 1,912 — rather than by longevity, since Alex Rodriguez played 22 seasons to Ken Griffey's 23. 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
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 Ken Griffey owns no headline categories. 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 Ken Griffey and Alex Rodriguez careers compare
From 1994 through 2010, Ken Griffey and Alex Rodriguez were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,671 games for Ken Griffey and 2,784 for Alex Rodriguez across 23 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ken Griffey's edges on the table are triples (38 to 31). Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312); Alex Rodriguez struck out more than walked (2,287 to 1,338). On the bases, Alex Rodriguez stole more often per game played (184 steals in 2,671 games for Ken Griffey, 329 in 2,784 for Alex Rodriguez). In on-base percentage, Alex Rodriguez holds the edge, .380 to .370.
Ken Griffey vs Alex Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Alex Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Alex Rodriguez leads Ken Griffey in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Alex Rodriguez hit more home runs?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Ken Griffey's 630.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Alex Rodriguez, with .930 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Alex Rodriguez, with .295 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.