Ken Griffey vs Bernie Williams: 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; Bernie Williams played 1991–2006 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 Bernie Williams (1991–2006) — 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; Bernie Williams finished with 2,336 hits and 287 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 Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey, with .907 to Bernie Williams's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bernie Williams, with .297 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Bernie Williams's 2,336.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Bernie Williams's 1,257.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 43,975 career PIV to Bernie Williams's 24,401.
- Who won more championships? Bernie Williams, with 4 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Ken Griffey
Bernie Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Bernie Williams. 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 | Bernie Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,671 | 2,076 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,801 | 7,869 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,662 | 1,366 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,781 | 2,336 |
| Doubles | Leads: 524 | 449 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 287 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,836 | 1,257 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,312 | 1,069 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,212 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 147 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .381 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .538 | .477 |
| OPS | Leads: .907 | .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey outpaces Bernie Williams 43,975 to 24,401 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,912 PIV per season to 1,525, across 23 seasons to 16. 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
Bernie Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bernie Williams owns batting average and OBP. 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 Bernie Williams careers compare
Ken Griffey and Bernie Williams were active at the same time between 1991 and 2006. The two careers are close in length, 2,671 games for Ken Griffey and 2,076 for Bernie Williams across 23 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Bernie Williams's edges on the table are triples (55 to 38), batting average (.297 to .284), and on-base percentage (.381 to .370). At the plate, Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312), and Bernie Williams struck out more than walked (1,212 to 1,069). Ken Griffey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 630 of 2,781 hits leaving the park.
Ken Griffey vs Bernie Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Bernie Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Bernie Williams in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Bernie Williams hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey, with .907 to Bernie Williams's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bernie Williams, with .297 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Bernie Williams's 2,336.