Gunnar Henderson vs John Ward: Career Stats Comparison
John Ward has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Gunnar Henderson has played 2022–present as a hitter; John Ward played 1878–1894 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
Gunnar Henderson (2022–present) and John Ward (1878–1894) — they broke in during the 2020s and the 1870s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Gunnar Henderson has 648 hits and 110 home runs through October 12, 2026; John Ward finished with 2,107 hits and 26 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Gunnar Henderson, with 110 to John Ward's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gunnar Henderson, with .801 to John Ward's .655.
- Who had the higher batting average? John Ward, with .275 to Gunnar Henderson's .259.
- Who had more hits? John Ward, with 2,107 to Gunnar Henderson's 648.
- Who drove in more runs? John Ward, with 869 to Gunnar Henderson's 319.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gunnar Henderson, with 5,834 career PIV to John Ward's 68.
- Who won more championships? John Ward, with 2 World Series titles to Gunnar Henderson's 0.
Gunnar Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gunnar Henderson and John Ward. 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 2020s and the 1870s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Gunnar Henderson is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Gunnar Henderson | John Ward |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 655 | Leads: 1,827 |
| At-Bats | 2,506 | Leads: 7,656 |
| Runs | 403 | Leads: 1,410 |
| Hits | 648 | Leads: 2,107 |
| Doubles | 128 | Leads: 231 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 110 | 26 |
| RBI | 319 | Leads: 869 |
| Walks | 279 | Leads: 421 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 645 | 326 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 540 |
| Batting Avg | .259 | Leads: .275 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .338 | .314 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .464 | .341 |
| OPS | Leads: .801 | .655 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gunnar Henderson outpaces John Ward 5,834 to 68 — driven by per-season impact — 1,458 PIV per season to 4 — rather than by longevity, since Gunnar Henderson played 4 seasons to John Ward's 17. 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).
Gunnar Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
John Ward — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Ward leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Gunnar Henderson owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Ward. Note that PIV actually grades Gunnar Henderson ahead, which means John Ward's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gunnar Henderson and John Ward careers compare
No season is shared: John Ward played 1878–1894, Gunnar Henderson 2022–present. John Ward has the far longer record, 1,827 games against 655 across 4 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Gunnar Henderson are home runs (110 to 26), on-base percentage (.338 to .314), and slugging percentage (.464 to .341). Plate discipline differs: Gunnar Henderson struck out more than walked (645 to 279), but John Ward walked more often than struck out (421 walks, 326 strikeouts). Gunnar Henderson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 110 of 648 hits leaving the park. Because Gunnar Henderson is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gunnar Henderson vs John Ward: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gunnar Henderson or John Ward?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Ward leads Gunnar Henderson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gunnar Henderson or John Ward hit more home runs?
- Gunnar Henderson, with 110 to John Ward's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gunnar Henderson, with .801 to John Ward's .655.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- John Ward, with .275 to Gunnar Henderson's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- John Ward, with 2,107 to Gunnar Henderson's 648.