Vladimir Guerrero vs Willie McCovey: Career Stats Comparison
Willie McCovey 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). Vladimir Guerrero has played 2019–present as a hitter; Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 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
Vladimir Guerrero (2019–present) and Willie McCovey (1959–1980) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Vladimir Guerrero has 1,218 hits and 192 home runs through October 6, 2026; Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie McCovey, with 521 to Vladimir Guerrero's 192.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie McCovey, with .889 to Vladimir Guerrero's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average? Vladimir Guerrero, with .285 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Willie McCovey, with 2,211 to Vladimir Guerrero's 1,218.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Vladimir Guerrero's 648.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Vladimir Guerrero's 14,982.
Vladimir Guerrero
Willie McCovey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Vladimir Guerrero and Willie McCovey. 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 2010s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Vladimir Guerrero is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Vladimir Guerrero | Willie McCovey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,119 | Leads: 2,588 |
| At-Bats | 4,276 | Leads: 8,197 |
| Runs | 643 | Leads: 1,229 |
| Hits | 1,218 | Leads: 2,211 |
| Doubles | 236 | Leads: 353 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 46 |
| Home Runs | 192 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 648 | Leads: 1,555 |
| Walks | 486 | Leads: 1,345 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 726 | 1,550 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 33 | 26 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .270 |
| On-Base % | .361 | Leads: .374 |
| Slugging % | .478 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .839 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey outpaces Vladimir Guerrero 47,331 to 14,982 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie McCovey played 23 seasons to Vladimir Guerrero's 7, while Vladimir Guerrero carries the higher per-season figure (2,140 to 2,058). 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).
Vladimir Guerrero — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie McCovey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Vladimir Guerrero owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie McCovey. PIV agrees: Willie McCovey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Vladimir Guerrero and Willie McCovey careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Willie McCovey's ended in 1980, and Vladimir Guerrero debuted in 2019. Willie McCovey has the far longer record, 2,588 games against 1,119 across 7 and 23 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Vladimir Guerrero are stolen bases (33 to 26) and batting average (.285 to .270). Vladimir Guerrero struck out more than walked (726 to 486); Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345). Willie McCovey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 521 of 2,211 hits leaving the park. Willie McCovey's on-base percentage of .374 tops Vladimir Guerrero's .361. Vladimir Guerrero's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Vladimir Guerrero vs Willie McCovey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vladimir Guerrero or Willie McCovey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie McCovey leads Vladimir Guerrero in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Vladimir Guerrero or Willie McCovey hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Vladimir Guerrero's 192.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie McCovey, with .889 to Vladimir Guerrero's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Vladimir Guerrero, with .285 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie McCovey, with 2,211 to Vladimir Guerrero's 1,218.