Rickey Henderson vs Joe Medwick: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson 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). Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 as a hitter; Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 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 Joe Medwick (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Medwick, with .867 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Joe Medwick's 2,471.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Joe Medwick's 28,897.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Joe Medwick's 1.
Rickey Henderson
Joe Medwick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Joe Medwick. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rickey Henderson | Joe Medwick |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 1,984 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 7,635 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,198 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,471 |
| Doubles | 510 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 297 | 205 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,383 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 437 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 551 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 42 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .324 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .362 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson leads Joe Medwick 37,642 to 28,897 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rickey Henderson played 29 seasons to Joe Medwick's 20, while Joe Medwick carries the higher per-season figure (1,445 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
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, home runs, runs, and stolen bases, while Joe Medwick owns RBI, batting average, and OPS. 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 Joe Medwick careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Joe Medwick's ended in 1948, and Rickey Henderson debuted in 1979. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Rickey Henderson appeared in 3,081 games to Joe Medwick's 1,984. Plate discipline differs: Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), but Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437). Rickey Henderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Best seasons: 1993 for Rickey Henderson (1.023 OPS, 17 HR, 47 RBI, .327 avg) and 1937 for Joe Medwick (1.056 OPS, 31 HR, 154 RBI, .374 avg).
Rickey Henderson vs Joe Medwick: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Joe Medwick?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Joe Medwick in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Joe Medwick hit more home runs?
- Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Medwick, with .867 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Joe Medwick's 2,471.