Reggie Jackson vs Ron Santo: Career Stats Comparison
Reggie Jackson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Ron Santo played 1960–1974 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 Ron Santo (1960–1974) — 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; Ron Santo finished with 2,254 hits and 342 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 Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Ron Santo's .826.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ron Santo, with .277 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Ron Santo's 2,254.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Ron Santo's 1,331.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Jackson, with 41,801 career PIV to Ron Santo's 33,743.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Ron Santo's 0.
Reggie Jackson
Ron Santo
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson and Ron Santo. 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 | Ron Santo |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,820 | 2,243 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,864 | 8,143 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,138 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,584 | 2,254 |
| Doubles | Leads: 463 | 365 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 67 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 563 | 342 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,702 | 1,331 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,375 | 1,108 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,597 | 1,343 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 35 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .277 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .490 | .464 |
| OPS | Leads: .846 | .826 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Jackson leads Ron Santo 41,801 to 33,743 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Reggie Jackson played 21 seasons to Ron Santo's 15, while Ron Santo carries the higher per-season figure (2,250 to 1,991). 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
Ron Santo — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Reggie Jackson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ron Santo owns batting average and OBP. 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 Ron Santo careers compare
The careers of Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Ron Santo (1960–1974) overlapped from 1967 to 1974, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,820 games for Reggie Jackson and 2,243 for Ron Santo across 21 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ron Santo's edges on the table are triples (67 to 49), batting average (.277 to .262), and on-base percentage (.362 to .356). Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375); Ron Santo struck out more than walked (1,343 to 1,108). Reggie Jackson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 563 of 2,584 hits leaving the park.
Reggie Jackson vs Ron Santo: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Ron Santo?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Reggie Jackson leads Ron Santo in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Ron Santo hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Ron Santo's .826.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ron Santo, with .277 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Ron Santo's 2,254.