Pedro Guerrero vs Rickey Henderson: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson 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). Pedro Guerrero played 1978–1992 as a hitter; Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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
Pedro Guerrero (1978–1992) and Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Pedro Guerrero finished with 1,618 hits and 215 home runs; Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Pedro Guerrero's 215.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pedro Guerrero, with .850 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pedro Guerrero, with .300 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Pedro Guerrero's 1,618.
- Who drove in more runs? Rickey Henderson, with 1,115 to Pedro Guerrero's 898.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Pedro Guerrero's 21,254.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Pedro Guerrero
Rickey Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Pedro Guerrero and Rickey Henderson. 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 | Pedro Guerrero | Rickey Henderson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,536 | Leads: 3,081 |
| At-Bats | 5,392 | Leads: 10,961 |
| Runs | 730 | Leads: 2,295 |
| Hits | 1,618 | Leads: 3,055 |
| Doubles | 267 | Leads: 510 |
| Triples | 29 | Leads: 66 |
| Home Runs | 215 | Leads: 297 |
| RBI | 898 | Leads: 1,115 |
| Walks | 609 | Leads: 2,190 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 862 | 1,694 |
| Stolen Bases | 97 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .300 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .401 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .419 |
| OPS | Leads: .850 | .820 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Pedro Guerrero 37,642 to 21,254 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rickey Henderson played 29 seasons to Pedro Guerrero's 16, while Pedro Guerrero carries the higher per-season figure (1,328 to 1,298). 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).
Pedro Guerrero — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Pedro Guerrero owns batting average and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. PIV agrees: Rickey Henderson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pedro Guerrero and Rickey Henderson careers compare
The careers of Pedro Guerrero (1978–1992) and Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) overlapped from 1979 to 1992, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 1,536 games of Pedro Guerrero with 3,081 of Rickey Henderson across 16 and 29 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Pedro Guerrero comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.300 to .279), slugging percentage (.480 to .419), and OPS (.850 to .820). At the plate, Pedro Guerrero struck out more than walked (862 to 609), while Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts).
Pedro Guerrero vs Rickey Henderson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pedro Guerrero or Rickey Henderson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Pedro Guerrero in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Pedro Guerrero or Rickey Henderson hit more home runs?
- Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Pedro Guerrero's 215.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pedro Guerrero, with .850 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pedro Guerrero, with .300 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Pedro Guerrero's 1,618.