Keith Hernandez vs Boog Powell: Career Stats Comparison
Keith Hernandez 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; Boog Powell played 1961–1977 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 Boog Powell (1961–1977) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Keith Hernandez finished with 2,182 hits and 162 home runs; Boog Powell finished with 1,776 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Boog Powell, with 339 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS? Boog Powell, with .822 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Boog Powell's .266.
- Who had more hits? Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Boog Powell's 1,776.
- Who drove in more runs? Boog Powell, with 1,187 to Keith Hernandez's 1,071.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Boog Powell, with 27,626 career PIV to Keith Hernandez's 25,249.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Keith Hernandez
Boog Powell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Keith Hernandez and Boog Powell. 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 | Keith Hernandez | Boog Powell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,088 | 2,042 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,370 | 6,681 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,124 | 889 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,182 | 1,776 |
| Doubles | Leads: 426 | 270 |
| Triples | Leads: 60 | 11 |
| Home Runs | 162 | Leads: 339 |
| RBI | 1,071 | Leads: 1,187 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,070 | 1,001 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 1,226 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 98 | 20 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .266 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .361 |
| Slugging % | .436 | Leads: .462 |
| OPS | .821 | Leads: .822 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Boog Powell leads Keith Hernandez 27,626 to 25,249 — driven by per-season impact — 1,625 PIV per season to 1,403 — rather than by longevity, since Boog Powell played 17 seasons to Keith Hernandez's 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
Boog Powell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Keith Hernandez leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Boog Powell owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Keith Hernandez. Note that PIV actually grades Boog Powell ahead, which means Keith Hernandez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Keith Hernandez and Boog Powell careers compare
Keith Hernandez and Boog Powell were active at the same time between 1974 and 1977. With 2,088 games against 2,042 across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Boog Powell's edges on the table are home runs (339 to 162), RBI (1,187 to 1,071), and slugging percentage (.462 to .436). At the plate, Keith Hernandez walked more often than struck out (1,070 walks, 1,012 strikeouts), while Boog Powell struck out more than walked (1,226 to 1,001). Boog Powell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 339 of 1,776 hits leaving the park. Boog Powell's slugging percentage of .462 tops Keith Hernandez's .436.
Keith Hernandez vs Boog Powell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Keith Hernandez or Boog Powell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Keith Hernandez leads Boog Powell in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Keith Hernandez or Boog Powell hit more home runs?
- Boog Powell, with 339 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Boog Powell, with .822 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Boog Powell's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Boog Powell's 1,776.