David Justice vs Darryl Strawberry: Career Stats Comparison
David Justice 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). David Justice played 1989–2002 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
David Justice (1989–2002) and Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. David Justice finished with 1,571 hits and 305 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 David Justice's 305.
- Who had the higher OPS? David Justice, with .878 to Darryl Strawberry's .862.
- Who had the higher batting average? David Justice, with .279 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits? David Justice, with 1,571 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.
- Who drove in more runs? David Justice, with 1,017 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,000.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Darryl Strawberry, with 22,150 career PIV to David Justice's 21,452.
- Who won more championships? Darryl Strawberry, with 4 World Series titles to David Justice's 2.
David Justice
Darryl Strawberry
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for David Justice 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | David Justice | Darryl Strawberry |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,610 | 1,583 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,625 | 5,418 |
| Runs | Leads: 929 | 898 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,571 | 1,401 |
| Doubles | Leads: 280 | 256 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 305 | Leads: 335 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,017 | 1,000 |
| Walks | Leads: 903 | 816 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 999 | 1,352 |
| Stolen Bases | 53 | Leads: 221 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .259 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .378 | .357 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | Leads: .878 | .862 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Darryl Strawberry edges David Justice 22,150 to 21,452 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Darryl Strawberry played 17 seasons to David Justice's 15, while David Justice carries the higher per-season figure (1,430 to 1,303). 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).
David Justice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Darryl Strawberry — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Justice leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Darryl Strawberry owns home runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Justice. Note that PIV actually grades Darryl Strawberry ahead, which means David Justice's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the David Justice and Darryl Strawberry careers compare
From 1989 through 1999, David Justice and Darryl Strawberry were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,610 games for David Justice and 1,583 for Darryl Strawberry across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Darryl Strawberry are triples (38 to 24), home runs (335 to 305), and stolen bases (221 to 53). At the plate, David Justice struck out more than walked (999 to 903), and Darryl Strawberry struck out more than walked (1,352 to 816).
David Justice vs Darryl Strawberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Justice or Darryl Strawberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Justice leads Darryl Strawberry in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did David Justice or Darryl Strawberry hit more home runs?
- Darryl Strawberry, with 335 to David Justice's 305.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- David Justice, with .878 to Darryl Strawberry's .862.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- David Justice, with .279 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- David Justice, with 1,571 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.