Rickey Henderson vs Miguel Tejada: 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; Miguel Tejada played 1997–2013 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 Miguel Tejada (1997–2013) — 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; Miguel Tejada finished with 2,407 hits and 307 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Miguel Tejada, with 307 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Miguel Tejada's .791.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Tejada, with .285 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Miguel Tejada's 2,407.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Tejada, with 1,302 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Miguel Tejada's 8,602.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Miguel Tejada's 0.
Rickey Henderson
Miguel Tejada
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Miguel Tejada. 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 | Miguel Tejada |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 2,171 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 8,434 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,230 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,407 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 468 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 23 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 307 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,302 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 553 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,079 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 85 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .336 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .456 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .791 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Miguel Tejada 37,642 to 8,602 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,298 PIV per season to 506, across 29 seasons to 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).
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Miguel Tejada — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Miguel Tejada owns home runs, RBI, and batting average. 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 Miguel Tejada careers compare
From 1997 through 2003, Rickey Henderson and Miguel Tejada were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 3,081 games for Rickey Henderson and 2,171 for Miguel Tejada across 29 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Miguel Tejada's edges on the table are home runs (307 to 297), RBI (1,302 to 1,115), and batting average (.285 to .279). Plate discipline differs: Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), but Miguel Tejada struck out more than walked (1,079 to 553). Miguel Tejada is the more power-leaning hitter, with 307 of 2,407 hits leaving the park.
Rickey Henderson vs Miguel Tejada: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Miguel Tejada?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Miguel Tejada in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Miguel Tejada hit more home runs?
- Miguel Tejada, with 307 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Miguel Tejada's .791.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Tejada, with .285 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Miguel Tejada's 2,407.