Bryce Harper vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Stargell has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Bryce Harper has played 2012–present 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
Bryce Harper (2012–present) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bryce Harper has 1,956 hits and 392 home runs through October 12, 2026; 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 Bryce Harper's 392.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bryce Harper, with .902 to Willie Stargell's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Bryce Harper's .279.
- Who had more hits? Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Bryce Harper's 1,956.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Bryce Harper's 1,138.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Bryce Harper's 34,405.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Bryce Harper's 0.
Bryce Harper
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bryce Harper 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 2010s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Bryce Harper is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Bryce Harper | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,947 | Leads: 2,360 |
| At-Bats | 7,012 | Leads: 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,247 | 1,194 |
| Hits | 1,956 | Leads: 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 433 | 423 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 392 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,138 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,212 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,802 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 159 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .516 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | Leads: .902 | .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell leads Bryce Harper 42,804 to 34,405 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Stargell played 21 seasons to Bryce Harper's 14, while Bryce Harper carries the higher per-season figure (2,458 to 2,038). 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).
Bryce Harper — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Bryce Harper owns runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bryce Harper and Willie Stargell careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Willie Stargell's ended in 1982, and Bryce Harper debuted in 2012. With 1,947 games against 2,360 across 14 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Bryce Harper struck out more than walked (1,802 to 1,212), and Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). On the bases, Bryce Harper stole more often per game played (159 steals in 1,947 games for Bryce Harper, 17 in 2,360 for Willie Stargell). Willie Stargell's slugging percentage of .529 tops Bryce Harper's .516. Bryce Harper's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Bryce Harper vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bryce Harper or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Stargell leads Bryce Harper in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bryce Harper or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Bryce Harper's 392.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bryce Harper, with .902 to Willie Stargell's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Bryce Harper's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Bryce Harper's 1,956.