Rickey Henderson vs Magglio Ordonez: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson 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). Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 as a hitter; Magglio Ordonez played 1997–2011 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 Magglio Ordonez (1997–2011) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Magglio Ordonez finished with 2,156 hits and 294 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 Magglio Ordonez's 294.
- Who had the higher OPS? Magglio Ordonez, with .871 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Magglio Ordonez, with .309 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Magglio Ordonez's 2,156.
- Who drove in more runs? Magglio Ordonez, with 1,236 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Magglio Ordonez's 22,173.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Magglio Ordonez's 0.
Rickey Henderson
Magglio Ordonez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Magglio Ordonez. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rickey Henderson | Magglio Ordonez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 1,848 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 6,978 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,076 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,156 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 426 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 21 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 297 | 294 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,236 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 852 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 94 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .309 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .369 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .871 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Magglio Ordonez 37,642 to 22,173 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rickey Henderson played 29 seasons to Magglio Ordonez's 15, while Magglio Ordonez carries the higher per-season figure (1,478 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
Magglio Ordonez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, home runs, runs, and stolen bases, while Magglio Ordonez 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 Magglio Ordonez careers compare
Rickey Henderson and Magglio Ordonez were active at the same time between 1997 and 2003. Rickey Henderson has the far longer record, 3,081 games against 1,848 across 29 and 15 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Magglio Ordonez comes out ahead, it is in RBI (1,236 to 1,115), batting average (.309 to .279), and slugging percentage (.502 to .419). Plate discipline differs: Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), but Magglio Ordonez struck out more than walked (852 to 651). Magglio Ordonez is the more power-leaning hitter, with 294 of 2,156 hits leaving the park. Rickey Henderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Rickey Henderson vs Magglio Ordonez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Magglio Ordonez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Magglio Ordonez in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Magglio Ordonez hit more home runs?
- Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Magglio Ordonez's 294.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Magglio Ordonez, with .871 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Magglio Ordonez, with .309 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Magglio Ordonez's 2,156.