Barry Larkin vs Mike Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Schmidt has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 as a hitter; Mike Schmidt played 1972–1989 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
Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs; Mike Schmidt finished with 2,234 hits and 548 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Schmidt, with .908 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Larkin, with .295 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Mike Schmidt's 2,234.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Schmidt, with 1,595 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Schmidt, with 49,630 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Barry Larkin
Mike Schmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin and Mike Schmidt. 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Mike Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,180 | Leads: 2,404 |
| At-Bats | 7,937 | Leads: 8,352 |
| Runs | 1,329 | Leads: 1,506 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 2,234 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 408 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 198 | Leads: 548 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,595 |
| Walks | 939 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,883 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 174 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .267 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .527 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .908 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Schmidt outpaces Barry Larkin 49,630 to 17,788 — driven by per-season impact — 2,757 PIV per season to 936 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Schmidt played 18 seasons to Barry Larkin's 19. 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).
Barry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mike Schmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Schmidt leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Barry Larkin owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Schmidt. PIV agrees: Mike Schmidt grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Barry Larkin and Mike Schmidt careers compare
Barry Larkin and Mike Schmidt were active at the same time between 1986 and 1989. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Barry Larkin and 2,404 for Mike Schmidt across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts), but Mike Schmidt struck out more than walked (1,883 to 1,507). Mike Schmidt is the more power-leaning hitter, with 548 of 2,234 hits leaving the park. Barry Larkin was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mike Schmidt's slugging percentage of .527 tops Barry Larkin's .444.
Barry Larkin vs Mike Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Mike Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Schmidt leads Barry Larkin in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Mike Schmidt hit more home runs?
- Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Schmidt, with .908 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Larkin, with .295 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Mike Schmidt's 2,234.