Carlos May vs Lee May: Career Stats Comparison
Lee May 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). Carlos May played 1968–1977 as a hitter; Lee May played 1965–1982 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
Carlos May (1968–1977) and Lee May (1965–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Carlos May finished with 1,127 hits and 90 home runs; Lee May finished with 2,031 hits and 354 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lee May, with 354 to Carlos May's 90.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lee May, with .772 to Carlos May's .749.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlos May, with .274 to Lee May's .267.
- Who had more hits? Lee May, with 2,031 to Carlos May's 1,127.
- Who drove in more runs? Lee May, with 1,244 to Carlos May's 536.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lee May, with 14,353 career PIV to Carlos May's 7,985.
- Who won more championships? Carlos May, with 1 World Series title to Lee May's 0.
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlos May and Lee May. 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 | Carlos May | Lee May |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,165 | Leads: 2,071 |
| At-Bats | 4,120 | Leads: 7,609 |
| Runs | 545 | Leads: 959 |
| Hits | 1,127 | Leads: 2,031 |
| Doubles | 172 | Leads: 340 |
| Triples | 23 | Leads: 31 |
| Home Runs | 90 | Leads: 354 |
| RBI | 536 | Leads: 1,244 |
| Walks | Leads: 512 | 487 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 565 | 1,570 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 85 | 39 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .357 | .313 |
| Slugging % | .392 | Leads: .459 |
| OPS | .749 | Leads: .772 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee May outpaces Carlos May 14,353 to 7,985 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 797 PIV per season to 665, across 18 seasons to 12. 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).
Carlos May — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lee May — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lee May leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Carlos May owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lee May. PIV agrees: Lee May grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlos May and Lee May careers compare
Carlos May and Lee May were active at the same time between 1968 and 1977. The table compares 1,165 games of Carlos May with 2,071 of Lee May across 12 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Carlos May are walks (512 to 487), stolen bases (85 to 39), and batting average (.274 to .267). Carlos May struck out more than walked (565 to 512); Lee May struck out more than walked (1,570 to 487). Home runs make up a larger share of Lee May's hits: 90 of 1,127 for Carlos May, 354 of 2,031 for Lee May.
Carlos May vs Lee May: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlos May or Lee May?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee May leads Carlos May in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlos May or Lee May hit more home runs?
- Lee May, with 354 to Carlos May's 90.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lee May, with .772 to Carlos May's .749.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlos May, with .274 to Lee May's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Lee May, with 2,031 to Carlos May's 1,127.