Willie McCovey vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield 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). Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 as a hitter; Dave Winfield played 1973–1995 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
Willie McCovey (1959–1980) and Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 home runs; Dave Winfield finished with 3,110 hits and 465 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie McCovey, with 521 to Dave Winfield's 465.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie McCovey, with .889 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Winfield, with .283 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Willie McCovey's 1,555.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Dave Winfield's 34,842.
- Who won more championships? Dave Winfield, with 1 World Series title to Willie McCovey's 0.
Willie McCovey
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie McCovey and Dave Winfield. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Willie McCovey | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,588 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 8,197 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 1,229 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 2,211 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | 353 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 46 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 521 | 465 |
| RBI | 1,555 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,345 | 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,550 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | 26 | Leads: 223 |
| Batting Avg | .270 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .374 | .353 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .475 |
| OPS | Leads: .889 | .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey outpaces Dave Winfield 47,331 to 34,842 — driven by per-season impact — 2,058 PIV per season to 1,515 — rather than by longevity, since Willie McCovey played 23 seasons to Dave Winfield'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).
Willie McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Winfield leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Willie McCovey owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Winfield. Note that PIV actually grades Willie McCovey ahead, which means Dave Winfield's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie McCovey and Dave Winfield careers compare
From 1973 through 1980, Willie McCovey and Dave Winfield were in the majors together. With 2,588 games against 2,973 across 23 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345); Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216). Home runs make up a larger share of Willie McCovey's hits: 521 of 2,211 for Willie McCovey, 465 of 3,110 for Dave Winfield. Dave Winfield was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Willie McCovey's slugging percentage of .515 tops Dave Winfield's .475.
Willie McCovey vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie McCovey or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Winfield leads Willie McCovey in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie McCovey or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Dave Winfield's 465.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie McCovey, with .889 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Winfield, with .283 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.