Rickey Henderson vs Tim Salmon: 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; Tim Salmon played 1992–2006 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 Tim Salmon (1992–2006) — 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; Tim Salmon finished with 1,674 hits and 299 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Tim Salmon, with 299 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tim Salmon, with .884 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tim Salmon, with .282 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.
- Who drove in more runs? Rickey Henderson, with 1,115 to Tim Salmon's 1,016.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Tim Salmon's 22,790.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Tim Salmon's 1.
Rickey Henderson
Tim Salmon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Tim Salmon. 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 | Tim Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 1,672 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 5,934 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 986 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 1,674 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 339 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 299 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,115 | 1,016 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 970 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,360 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 48 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .385 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .498 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Tim Salmon 37,642 to 22,790 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rickey Henderson played 29 seasons to Tim Salmon's 14, while Tim Salmon carries the higher per-season figure (1,628 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
Tim Salmon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Tim Salmon owns home runs, 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 Tim Salmon careers compare
From 1992 through 2003, Rickey Henderson and Tim Salmon were in the majors together. Rickey Henderson has the far longer record, 3,081 games against 1,672 across 29 and 14 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Tim Salmon are home runs (299 to 297), batting average (.282 to .279), and slugging percentage (.498 to .419). At the plate, Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), while Tim Salmon struck out more than walked (1,360 to 970). Tim Salmon is the more power-leaning hitter, with 299 of 1,674 hits leaving the park.
Rickey Henderson vs Tim Salmon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Tim Salmon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Tim Salmon in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Tim Salmon hit more home runs?
- Tim Salmon, with 299 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tim Salmon, with .884 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tim Salmon, with .282 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.