Joe Morgan vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Morgan 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). Joe Morgan played 1963–1984 as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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
Joe Morgan (1963–1984) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Joe Morgan finished with 2,517 hits and 268 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits? Joe Morgan, with 2,517 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Joe Morgan's 1,133.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Joe Morgan's 39,255.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Joe Morgan
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Morgan and Willie Stargell. 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 | Joe Morgan | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,649 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,277 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,650 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,517 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 449 | 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 96 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 268 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,133 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,865 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,015 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 689 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .392 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .427 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .819 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell leads Joe Morgan 42,804 to 39,255 — driven by per-season impact — 2,038 PIV per season to 1,784 — rather than by longevity, since Willie Stargell played 21 seasons to Joe Morgan's 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).
Joe Morgan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OPS, while Joe Morgan owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Morgan and Willie Stargell careers compare
From 1963 through 1982, Joe Morgan and Willie Stargell were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,649 games for Joe Morgan and 2,360 for Willie Stargell across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Joe Morgan walked more often than struck out (1,865 walks, 1,015 strikeouts), while Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Home runs make up a larger share of Willie Stargell's hits: 268 of 2,517 for Joe Morgan, 475 of 2,232 for Willie Stargell.
Joe Morgan vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Morgan or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Morgan leads Willie Stargell in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Morgan or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Morgan, with 2,517 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.