Rickey Henderson vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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 Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Rickey Henderson's 37,642.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Carl Yastrzemski's 0.
Rickey Henderson
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Carl Yastrzemski. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rickey Henderson | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 3,081 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | 10,961 | Leads: 11,988 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,816 |
| Hits | 3,055 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 510 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 452 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 168 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .379 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .462 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .841 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski outpaces Rickey Henderson 54,310 to 37,642 — driven by per-season impact — 2,361 PIV per season to 1,298 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Yastrzemski played 23 seasons to Rickey Henderson's 29. 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
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Yastrzemski leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Rickey Henderson owns runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski 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 Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
From 1979 through 1983, Rickey Henderson and Carl Yastrzemski were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 3,081 games for Rickey Henderson and 3,308 for Carl Yastrzemski across 29 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts); Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Carl Yastrzemski's hits: 297 of 3,055 for Rickey Henderson, 452 of 3,419 for Carl Yastrzemski. Rickey Henderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Carl Yastrzemski's slugging percentage of .462 tops Rickey Henderson's .419.
Rickey Henderson vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Rickey Henderson in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.