Keith Hernandez vs Fred McGriff: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff 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). Keith Hernandez played 1974–1990 as a hitter; Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 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
Keith Hernandez (1974–1990) and Fred McGriff (1986–2004) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Keith Hernandez finished with 2,182 hits and 162 home runs; Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Fred McGriff, with 493 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Keith Hernandez's 2,182.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Keith Hernandez's 1,071.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Keith Hernandez's 25,249.
- Who won more championships? Keith Hernandez, with 2 World Series titles to Fred McGriff's 1.
Keith Hernandez
Fred McGriff
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Keith Hernandez and Fred McGriff. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Keith Hernandez | Fred McGriff |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,088 | Leads: 2,460 |
| At-Bats | 7,370 | Leads: 8,757 |
| Runs | 1,124 | Leads: 1,349 |
| Hits | 2,182 | Leads: 2,490 |
| Doubles | 426 | Leads: 441 |
| Triples | Leads: 60 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 162 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,071 | Leads: 1,550 |
| Walks | 1,070 | Leads: 1,305 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 1,882 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 98 | 72 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .377 |
| Slugging % | .436 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .821 | Leads: .886 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff outpaces Keith Hernandez 37,233 to 25,249 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,773 PIV per season to 1,403, across 21 seasons to 18. 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).
Keith Hernandez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred McGriff leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Keith Hernandez owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. PIV agrees: Fred McGriff grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Keith Hernandez and Fred McGriff careers compare
The careers of Keith Hernandez (1974–1990) and Fred McGriff (1986–2004) overlapped from 1986 to 1990, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,088 games against 2,460 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Keith Hernandez's edges on the table are triples (60 to 24), stolen bases (98 to 72), and batting average (.296 to .284). Plate discipline differs: Keith Hernandez walked more often than struck out (1,070 walks, 1,012 strikeouts), but Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305). Home runs make up a larger share of Fred McGriff's hits: 162 of 2,182 for Keith Hernandez, 493 of 2,490 for Fred McGriff.
Keith Hernandez vs Fred McGriff: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Keith Hernandez or Fred McGriff?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Keith Hernandez in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Keith Hernandez or Fred McGriff hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Keith Hernandez's 2,182.