Rickey Henderson vs Andrew McCutchen: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 as a hitter; Andrew McCutchen has played 2009–present 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
Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) and Andrew McCutchen (2009–present) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Andrew McCutchen has 2,280 hits and 333 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Andrew McCutchen, with 333 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Andrew McCutchen's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rickey Henderson, with .279 to Andrew McCutchen's .271.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Andrew McCutchen's 2,280.
- Who drove in more runs? Andrew McCutchen, with 1,157 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Andrew McCutchen's 25,074.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Andrew McCutchen's 0.
Rickey Henderson
Andrew McCutchen
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Andrew McCutchen. 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 1970s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Andrew McCutchen is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Rickey Henderson | Andrew McCutchen |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 2,299 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 8,423 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,298 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,280 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 453 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 50 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 333 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,157 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 1,192 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,915 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 220 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .364 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .455 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Andrew McCutchen 37,642 to 25,074 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rickey Henderson played 29 seasons to Andrew McCutchen's 18, while Andrew McCutchen carries the higher per-season figure (1,393 to 1,298). 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).
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Andrew McCutchen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Andrew McCutchen owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. PIV agrees: Rickey Henderson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rickey Henderson and Andrew McCutchen careers compare
Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) was finished before Andrew McCutchen (2009–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 3,081 games for Rickey Henderson and 2,299 for Andrew McCutchen across 29 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Andrew McCutchen comes out ahead, it is in home runs (333 to 297), RBI (1,157 to 1,115), and slugging percentage (.455 to .419). Plate discipline differs: Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), but Andrew McCutchen struck out more than walked (1,915 to 1,192). Andrew McCutchen's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Rickey Henderson vs Andrew McCutchen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Andrew McCutchen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Andrew McCutchen in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Andrew McCutchen hit more home runs?
- Andrew McCutchen, with 333 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Andrew McCutchen's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rickey Henderson, with .279 to Andrew McCutchen's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Andrew McCutchen's 2,280.