Reggie Jackson vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Reggie Jackson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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 Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 home runs; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 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 Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Cal Ripken, with .276 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Cal Ripken's 1,695.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Jackson, with 41,801 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Cal Ripken's 1.
Reggie Jackson
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson and Cal Ripken. 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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Reggie Jackson | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,820 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 9,864 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | 1,551 | Leads: 1,647 |
| Hits | 2,584 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 463 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 563 | 431 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,702 | 1,695 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,375 | 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,597 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .490 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .846 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Jackson outpaces Cal Ripken 41,801 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 1,991 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Reggie Jackson played 21 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Reggie Jackson leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and OBP, while Cal Ripken owns hits, runs, and batting average. 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 Cal Ripken careers compare
Reggie Jackson and Cal Ripken were active at the same time between 1981 and 1987. The two careers are close in length, 2,820 games for Reggie Jackson and 3,001 for Cal Ripken across 21 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375); Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). Home runs make up a larger share of Reggie Jackson's hits: 563 of 2,584 for Reggie Jackson, 431 of 3,184 for Cal Ripken. Reggie Jackson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Reggie Jackson's slugging percentage of .490 tops Cal Ripken's .447.
Reggie Jackson vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Cal Ripken?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Reggie Jackson leads Cal Ripken in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Cal Ripken, with .276 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.