Reggie Jackson vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Reggie Jackson has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 as a hitter; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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
Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Reggie Jackson, with .262 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Jackson, with 41,801 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Graig Nettles's 2.
Reggie Jackson
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson and Graig Nettles. 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 | Reggie Jackson | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,820 | 2,700 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,864 | 8,986 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,193 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,584 | 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 463 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 28 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 563 | 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,702 | 1,314 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,375 | 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,597 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .262 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .490 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .846 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Jackson outpaces Graig Nettles 41,801 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,991 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Reggie Jackson played 21 seasons to Graig Nettles's 22. 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).
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Reggie Jackson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Graig Nettles owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Reggie Jackson. PIV agrees: Reggie Jackson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Reggie Jackson and Graig Nettles careers compare
The careers of Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) overlapped from 1967 to 1987, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,820 games for Reggie Jackson and 2,700 for Graig Nettles across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Reggie Jackson. Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375); Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Reggie Jackson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Reggie Jackson holds the edge, .490 to .421.
Reggie Jackson vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Reggie Jackson leads Graig Nettles in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Reggie Jackson, with .262 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.