Tony Gwynn vs Ken Singleton: Career Stats Comparison
Tony Gwynn 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). Tony Gwynn played 1982–2001 as a hitter; Ken Singleton played 1970–1984 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
Tony Gwynn (1982–2001) and Ken Singleton (1970–1984) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Tony Gwynn finished with 3,141 hits and 135 home runs; Ken Singleton finished with 2,029 hits and 246 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Singleton, with 246 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tony Gwynn, with .847 to Ken Singleton's .824.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Ken Singleton's .282.
- Who had more hits? Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Ken Singleton's 2,029.
- Who drove in more runs? Tony Gwynn, with 1,138 to Ken Singleton's 1,065.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tony Gwynn, with 30,602 career PIV to Ken Singleton's 29,530.
- Who won more championships? Ken Singleton, with 1 World Series title to Tony Gwynn's 0.
Tony Gwynn
Ken Singleton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tony Gwynn and Ken Singleton. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tony Gwynn | Ken Singleton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,440 | 2,082 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,288 | 7,189 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,383 | 985 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,141 | 2,029 |
| Doubles | Leads: 543 | 317 |
| Triples | Leads: 85 | 25 |
| Home Runs | 135 | Leads: 246 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,138 | 1,065 |
| Walks | 790 | Leads: 1,263 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 434 | 1,246 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 319 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .338 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .459 | .436 |
| OPS | Leads: .847 | .824 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tony Gwynn edges Ken Singleton 30,602 to 29,530 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tony Gwynn played 20 seasons to Ken Singleton's 15, while Ken Singleton carries the higher per-season figure (1,969 to 1,530). 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).
Tony Gwynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Singleton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tony Gwynn leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ken Singleton owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tony Gwynn. PIV agrees: Tony Gwynn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tony Gwynn and Ken Singleton careers compare
The careers of Tony Gwynn (1982–2001) and Ken Singleton (1970–1984) overlapped from 1982 to 1984, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,440 games for Tony Gwynn and 2,082 for Ken Singleton across 20 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ken Singleton's edges on the table are home runs (246 to 135) and walks (1,263 to 790). Tony Gwynn walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 434 strikeouts); Ken Singleton walked more often than struck out (1,263 walks, 1,246 strikeouts).
Tony Gwynn vs Ken Singleton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tony Gwynn or Ken Singleton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tony Gwynn leads Ken Singleton in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Tony Gwynn or Ken Singleton hit more home runs?
- Ken Singleton, with 246 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tony Gwynn, with .847 to Ken Singleton's .824.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Ken Singleton's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Ken Singleton's 2,029.