George Hendrick vs Keith Hernandez: Career Stats Comparison
Keith Hernandez has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). George Hendrick played 1971–1988 as a hitter; Keith Hernandez played 1974–1990 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
George Hendrick (1971–1988) and Keith Hernandez (1974–1990) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. George Hendrick finished with 1,980 hits and 267 home runs; Keith Hernandez finished with 2,182 hits and 162 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? George Hendrick, with 267 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS? Keith Hernandez, with .821 to George Hendrick's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average? Keith Hernandez, with .296 to George Hendrick's .278.
- Who had more hits? Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to George Hendrick's 1,980.
- Who drove in more runs? George Hendrick, with 1,111 to Keith Hernandez's 1,071.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Keith Hernandez, with 25,249 career PIV to George Hendrick's 12,449.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
George Hendrick
Keith Hernandez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Hendrick and Keith Hernandez. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Hendrick | Keith Hernandez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,048 | Leads: 2,088 |
| At-Bats | 7,129 | Leads: 7,370 |
| Runs | 941 | Leads: 1,124 |
| Hits | 1,980 | Leads: 2,182 |
| Doubles | 343 | Leads: 426 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 60 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 267 | 162 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,111 | 1,071 |
| Walks | 567 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,013 | 1,012 |
| Stolen Bases | 59 | Leads: 98 |
| Batting Avg | .278 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .446 | .436 |
| OPS | .775 | Leads: .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Keith Hernandez outpaces George Hendrick 25,249 to 12,449 — driven by per-season impact — 1,403 PIV per season to 622 — rather than by longevity, since Keith Hernandez played 18 seasons to George Hendrick's 20. 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).
George Hendrick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Keith Hernandez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Keith Hernandez leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while George Hendrick owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Keith Hernandez. PIV agrees: Keith Hernandez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Hendrick and Keith Hernandez careers compare
The careers of George Hendrick (1971–1988) and Keith Hernandez (1974–1990) overlapped from 1974 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,048 games for George Hendrick and 2,088 for Keith Hernandez across 20 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where George Hendrick comes out ahead, it is in home runs (267 to 162), RBI (1,111 to 1,071), and slugging percentage (.446 to .436). At the plate, George Hendrick struck out more than walked (1,013 to 567), while Keith Hernandez walked more often than struck out (1,070 walks, 1,012 strikeouts).
George Hendrick vs Keith Hernandez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Hendrick or Keith Hernandez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Keith Hernandez leads George Hendrick in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Hendrick or Keith Hernandez hit more home runs?
- George Hendrick, with 267 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Keith Hernandez, with .821 to George Hendrick's .775.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Keith Hernandez, with .296 to George Hendrick's .278.
- Who had more hits?
- Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to George Hendrick's 1,980.