Keith Hernandez vs Darryl Strawberry: 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; Darryl Strawberry played 1983–1999 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 Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) — 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; Darryl Strawberry finished with 1,401 hits and 335 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Darryl Strawberry, with 335 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS? Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits? Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.
- Who drove in more runs? Keith Hernandez, with 1,071 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,000.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Keith Hernandez, with 25,249 career PIV to Darryl Strawberry's 22,150.
- Who won more championships? Darryl Strawberry, with 4 World Series titles to Keith Hernandez's 2.
Keith Hernandez
Darryl Strawberry
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Keith Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry. 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 | Darryl Strawberry |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,088 | 1,583 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,370 | 5,418 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,124 | 898 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,182 | 1,401 |
| Doubles | Leads: 426 | 256 |
| Triples | Leads: 60 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 162 | Leads: 335 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,071 | 1,000 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,070 | 816 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 1,352 |
| Stolen Bases | 98 | Leads: 221 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .259 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .357 |
| Slugging % | .436 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .821 | Leads: .862 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Keith Hernandez leads Darryl Strawberry 25,249 to 22,150 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,403 PIV per season to 1,303, across 18 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).
Keith Hernandez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Darryl Strawberry — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Keith Hernandez leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Darryl Strawberry owns home runs, stolen bases, and OPS. 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 Keith Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry careers compare
From 1983 through 1990, Keith Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,088 games for Keith Hernandez and 1,583 for Darryl Strawberry across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Darryl Strawberry comes out ahead, it is in home runs (335 to 162), stolen bases (221 to 98), and slugging percentage (.505 to .436). At the plate, Keith Hernandez walked more often than struck out (1,070 walks, 1,012 strikeouts), while Darryl Strawberry struck out more than walked (1,352 to 816).
Keith Hernandez vs Darryl Strawberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Keith Hernandez or Darryl Strawberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Keith Hernandez leads Darryl Strawberry in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Keith Hernandez or Darryl Strawberry hit more home runs?
- Darryl Strawberry, with 335 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.