Tony Gwynn vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Tony Gwynn has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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 Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Tony Gwynn finished with 3,141 hits and 135 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Tony Gwynn's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Tony Gwynn's 1,138.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Tony Gwynn's 30,602.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Tony Gwynn's 0.
Tony Gwynn
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tony Gwynn and Willie Stargell. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tony Gwynn | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,440 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,288 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,383 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,141 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 543 | 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 85 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 135 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,138 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | 790 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 434 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 319 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .338 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .459 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .847 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Tony Gwynn 42,804 to 30,602 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,038 PIV per season to 1,530, across 21 seasons to 20. 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
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tony Gwynn leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Willie Stargell owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tony Gwynn. Note that PIV actually grades Willie Stargell ahead, which means Tony Gwynn's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tony Gwynn and Willie Stargell careers compare
Tony Gwynn and Willie Stargell were active at the same time between 1982 and 1982. The two careers are close in length, 2,440 games for Tony Gwynn and 2,360 for Willie Stargell across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Tony Gwynn walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 434 strikeouts), while Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Willie Stargell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 475 of 2,232 hits leaving the park. Tony Gwynn was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Willie Stargell holds the edge, .529 to .459.
Tony Gwynn vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tony Gwynn or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tony Gwynn leads Willie Stargell in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Tony Gwynn or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Tony Gwynn's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.