Ken Griffey vs Darryl Strawberry: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Darryl Strawberry played 1983–1999 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 Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) — 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; Darryl Strawberry finished with 1,401 hits and 335 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 Darryl Strawberry's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey, with .907 to Darryl Strawberry's .862.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey, with .284 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,000.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 43,975 career PIV to Darryl Strawberry's 22,150.
- Who won more championships? Darryl Strawberry, with 4 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Ken Griffey
Darryl Strawberry
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Darryl Strawberry. 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 | Darryl Strawberry |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,671 | 1,583 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,801 | 5,418 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,662 | 898 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,781 | 1,401 |
| Doubles | Leads: 524 | 256 |
| Triples | 38 | 38 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 335 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,836 | 1,000 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,312 | 816 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,352 |
| Stolen Bases | 184 | Leads: 221 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .259 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .370 | .357 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .538 | .505 |
| OPS | Leads: .907 | .862 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey outpaces Darryl Strawberry 43,975 to 22,150 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,912 PIV per season to 1,303, across 23 seasons to 17. 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
Darryl Strawberry — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Darryl Strawberry owns stolen bases. 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 Darryl Strawberry careers compare
Ken Griffey and Darryl Strawberry were active at the same time between 1989 and 1999. Ken Griffey has the far longer record, 2,671 games against 1,583 across 23 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Darryl Strawberry comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (221 to 184). Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312); Darryl Strawberry struck out more than walked (1,352 to 816). On the bases, Darryl Strawberry stole more often per game played (184 steals in 2,671 games for Ken Griffey, 221 in 1,583 for Darryl Strawberry). Ken Griffey's slugging percentage of .538 tops Darryl Strawberry's .505.
Ken Griffey vs Darryl Strawberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Darryl Strawberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Darryl Strawberry in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Darryl Strawberry hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Darryl Strawberry's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey, with .907 to Darryl Strawberry's .862.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey, with .284 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.