Pedro Guerrero vs Chet Lemon: Career Stats Comparison
Chet Lemon has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Chet Lemon played 1975–1990 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 Chet Lemon (1975–1990) — 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; Chet Lemon finished with 1,875 hits and 215 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Neither — both are at 215.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pedro Guerrero, with .850 to Chet Lemon's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pedro Guerrero, with .300 to Chet Lemon's .273.
- Who had more hits? Chet Lemon, with 1,875 to Pedro Guerrero's 1,618.
- Who drove in more runs? Pedro Guerrero, with 898 to Chet Lemon's 884.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pedro Guerrero, with 21,254 career PIV to Chet Lemon's 17,435.
- Who won more championships? Pedro Guerrero, with 2 World Series titles to Chet Lemon's 1.
Pedro Guerrero
Chet Lemon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Pedro Guerrero and Chet Lemon. 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 | Chet Lemon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,536 | Leads: 1,988 |
| At-Bats | 5,392 | Leads: 6,868 |
| Runs | 730 | Leads: 973 |
| Hits | 1,618 | Leads: 1,875 |
| Doubles | 267 | Leads: 396 |
| Triples | 29 | Leads: 61 |
| Home Runs | 215 | 215 |
| RBI | Leads: 898 | 884 |
| Walks | 609 | Leads: 749 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 862 | 1,024 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 97 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .300 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .370 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .442 |
| OPS | Leads: .850 | .797 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Guerrero leads Chet Lemon 21,254 to 17,435 — driven by per-season impact — 1,328 PIV per season to 1,090 — rather than by longevity, since Pedro Guerrero played 16 seasons to Chet Lemon's 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).
Pedro Guerrero — top 3 seasons by OPS
Chet Lemon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pedro Guerrero leads in RBI, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Chet Lemon owns hits and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pedro Guerrero. PIV agrees: Pedro Guerrero 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 Chet Lemon careers compare
From 1978 through 1990, Pedro Guerrero and Chet Lemon were in the majors together. With 1,536 games against 1,988 across 16 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Pedro Guerrero struck out more than walked (862 to 609), and Chet Lemon struck out more than walked (1,024 to 749). Best seasons: 1985 for Pedro Guerrero (.999 OPS, 33 HR, 87 RBI, .320 avg) and 1979 for Chet Lemon (.887 OPS, 17 HR, 86 RBI, .318 avg).
Pedro Guerrero vs Chet Lemon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pedro Guerrero or Chet Lemon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chet Lemon leads Pedro Guerrero in 7 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Pedro Guerrero or Chet Lemon hit more home runs?
- Neither — both are at 215.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pedro Guerrero, with .850 to Chet Lemon's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pedro Guerrero, with .300 to Chet Lemon's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Chet Lemon, with 1,875 to Pedro Guerrero's 1,618.