Harmon Killebrew vs Brooks Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Harmon Killebrew and Brooks Robinson are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 as a hitter; Brooks Robinson played 1955–1977 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
Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) and Brooks Robinson (1955–1977) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs; Brooks Robinson finished with 2,848 hits and 268 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average? Brooks Robinson, with .267 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Brooks Robinson's 1,357.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Brooks Robinson's 9,441.
- Who won more championships? Brooks Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Harmon Killebrew
Brooks Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew and Brooks Robinson. 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 | Harmon Killebrew | Brooks Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,435 | Leads: 2,896 |
| At-Bats | 8,147 | Leads: 10,654 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,283 | 1,232 |
| Hits | 2,086 | Leads: 2,848 |
| Doubles | 290 | Leads: 482 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 68 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 573 | 268 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,357 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,559 | 860 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 990 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 28 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .322 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .401 |
| OPS | Leads: .884 | .723 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew outpaces Brooks Robinson 48,240 to 9,441 — driven by per-season impact — 2,193 PIV per season to 410 — rather than by longevity, since Harmon Killebrew played 22 seasons to Brooks Robinson's 23. 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).
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Brooks Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harmon Killebrew leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Brooks Robinson owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harmon Killebrew. PIV agrees: Harmon Killebrew grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harmon Killebrew and Brooks Robinson careers compare
From 1955 through 1975, Harmon Killebrew and Brooks Robinson were in the majors together. With 2,435 games against 2,896 across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559), and Brooks Robinson struck out more than walked (990 to 860). Harmon Killebrew is the more power-leaning hitter, with 573 of 2,086 hits leaving the park. Harmon Killebrew owns the better peak by OPS: 1.012 OPS in 1961 for Harmon Killebrew against .889 OPS in 1964 for Brooks Robinson.
Harmon Killebrew vs Brooks Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Brooks Robinson hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Brooks Robinson, with .267 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.