Ken Griffey vs Babe Ruth: Career Stats Comparison
Babe Ruth has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Babe Ruth played 1914–1935 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 Babe Ruth (1914–1935) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1910s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs; Babe Ruth finished with 2,873 hits and 714 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Babe Ruth, with 714 to Ken Griffey's 630.
- Who had the higher OPS? Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Babe Ruth, with .342 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Babe Ruth, with 2,873 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.
- Who drove in more runs? Babe Ruth, with 2,217 to Ken Griffey's 1,836.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Babe Ruth, with 111,979 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 43,975.
- Who won more championships? Babe Ruth, with 7 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Ken Griffey
Babe Ruth
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Babe Ruth. 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 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Griffey | Babe Ruth |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,671 | 2,503 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,801 | 8,398 |
| Runs | 1,662 | Leads: 2,174 |
| Hits | 2,781 | Leads: 2,873 |
| Doubles | Leads: 524 | 506 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 136 |
| Home Runs | 630 | Leads: 714 |
| RBI | 1,836 | Leads: 2,217 |
| Walks | 1,312 | Leads: 2,062 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,330 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 123 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .342 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .474 |
| Slugging % | .538 | Leads: .690 |
| OPS | .907 | Leads: 1.164 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Babe Ruth outpaces Ken Griffey 111,979 to 43,975 — driven by per-season impact — 5,090 PIV per season to 1,912 — rather than by longevity, since Babe Ruth 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
Babe Ruth — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Babe Ruth leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ken Griffey owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Babe Ruth. PIV agrees: Babe Ruth 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 Babe Ruth careers compare
No season is shared: Babe Ruth played 1914–1935, Ken Griffey 1989–2010. The two careers are close in length, 2,671 games for Ken Griffey and 2,503 for Babe Ruth across 23 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Ken Griffey comes out ahead, it is in games (2,671 to 2,503), at-bats (9,801 to 8,398), and doubles (524 to 506). Plate discipline differs: Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312), but Babe Ruth walked more often than struck out (2,062 walks, 1,330 strikeouts). On the bases, Ken Griffey stole more often per game played (184 steals in 2,671 games for Ken Griffey, 123 in 2,503 for Babe Ruth).
Ken Griffey vs Babe Ruth: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Babe Ruth?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Babe Ruth leads Ken Griffey in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Babe Ruth hit more home runs?
- Babe Ruth, with 714 to Ken Griffey's 630.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Babe Ruth, with .342 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Babe Ruth, with 2,873 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.