Harmon Killebrew vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski 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). Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 as a hitter; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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 Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 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 Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Harmon Killebrew's 1,584.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Harmon Killebrew's 48,240.
Harmon Killebrew
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew and Carl Yastrzemski. 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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harmon Killebrew | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,435 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | 8,147 | Leads: 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,283 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,086 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 290 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 59 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 573 | 452 |
| RBI | 1,584 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 1,559 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 168 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .462 |
| OPS | Leads: .884 | .841 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski leads Harmon Killebrew 54,310 to 48,240 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,361 PIV per season to 2,193, across 23 seasons to 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).
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Yastrzemski leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Harmon Killebrew owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski 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 Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
From 1961 through 1975, Harmon Killebrew and Carl Yastrzemski were in the majors together. With 2,435 games against 3,308 across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Harmon Killebrew are home runs (573 to 452), slugging percentage (.509 to .462), and OPS (.884 to .841). At the plate, Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559), while Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Harmon Killebrew is the more power-leaning hitter, with 573 of 2,086 hits leaving the park.
Harmon Killebrew vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harmon Killebrew or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Harmon Killebrew in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.