Lee May vs Hal McRae: Career Stats Comparison
Hal McRae 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). Lee May played 1965–1982 as a hitter; Hal McRae played 1968–1987 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
Lee May (1965–1982) and Hal McRae (1968–1987) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lee May finished with 2,031 hits and 354 home runs; Hal McRae finished with 2,091 hits and 191 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 Hal McRae's 191.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hal McRae, with .805 to Lee May's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hal McRae, with .290 to Lee May's .267.
- Who had more hits? Hal McRae, with 2,091 to Lee May's 2,031.
- Who drove in more runs? Lee May, with 1,244 to Hal McRae's 1,097.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hal McRae, with 19,055 career PIV to Lee May's 14,353.
- Who won more championships? Hal McRae, with 1 World Series title to Lee May's 0.
Hal McRae
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lee May and Hal McRae. 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 | Lee May | Hal McRae |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,071 | Leads: 2,084 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,609 | 7,218 |
| Runs | Leads: 959 | 940 |
| Hits | 2,031 | Leads: 2,091 |
| Doubles | 340 | Leads: 484 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 354 | 191 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,244 | 1,097 |
| Walks | 487 | Leads: 648 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,570 | 779 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 109 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .313 | Leads: .351 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .459 | .454 |
| OPS | .772 | Leads: .805 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal McRae leads Lee May 19,055 to 14,353 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,003 PIV per season to 797, across 19 seasons to 18. 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).
Lee May — top 3 seasons by OPS
Hal McRae — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal McRae leads in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Lee May owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal McRae. PIV agrees: Hal McRae grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lee May and Hal McRae careers compare
The careers of Lee May (1965–1982) and Hal McRae (1968–1987) overlapped from 1968 to 1982, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,071 games against 2,084 across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lee May struck out more than walked (1,570 to 487); Hal McRae struck out more than walked (779 to 648). Home runs make up a larger share of Lee May's hits: 354 of 2,031 for Lee May, 191 of 2,091 for Hal McRae. Hal McRae was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Lee May holds the edge, .459 to .454.
Lee May vs Hal McRae: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lee May or Hal McRae?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal McRae leads Lee May in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lee May or Hal McRae hit more home runs?
- Lee May, with 354 to Hal McRae's 191.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hal McRae, with .805 to Lee May's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hal McRae, with .290 to Lee May's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Hal McRae, with 2,091 to Lee May's 2,031.