Joe Morgan vs Rusty Staub: Career Stats Comparison
Rusty Staub has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Rusty Staub played 1963–1985 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 Rusty Staub (1963–1985) — 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; Rusty Staub finished with 2,716 hits and 292 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rusty Staub, with 292 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Morgan, with .819 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rusty Staub, with .279 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits? Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.
- Who drove in more runs? Rusty Staub, with 1,466 to Joe Morgan's 1,133.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Morgan, with 39,255 career PIV to Rusty Staub's 30,346.
- Who won more championships? Joe Morgan, with 2 World Series titles to Rusty Staub's 0.
Joe Morgan
Rusty Staub
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Morgan and Rusty Staub. 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 | Rusty Staub |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,649 | Leads: 2,951 |
| At-Bats | 9,277 | Leads: 9,720 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,650 | 1,189 |
| Hits | 2,517 | Leads: 2,716 |
| Doubles | 449 | Leads: 499 |
| Triples | Leads: 96 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 268 | Leads: 292 |
| RBI | 1,133 | Leads: 1,466 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,865 | 1,255 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,015 | 888 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 689 | 47 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .392 | .362 |
| Slugging % | .427 | Leads: .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .819 | .793 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Morgan leads Rusty Staub 39,255 to 30,346 — driven by per-season impact — 1,784 PIV per season to 1,264 — rather than by longevity, since Joe Morgan played 22 seasons to Rusty Staub's 24. 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
Rusty Staub — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Morgan leads in runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Rusty Staub owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Morgan. PIV agrees: Joe Morgan 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 Rusty Staub careers compare
Joe Morgan and Rusty Staub were active at the same time between 1963 and 1984. With 2,649 games against 2,951 across 22 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Joe Morgan walked more often than struck out (1,865 walks, 1,015 strikeouts), and Rusty Staub walked more often than struck out (1,255 walks, 888 strikeouts). On the bases, Joe Morgan stole more often per game played (689 steals in 2,649 games for Joe Morgan, 47 in 2,951 for Rusty Staub). On the peak-season lists, Joe Morgan's best year is 1976 at 1.020 OPS and Rusty Staub's is 1969 at .952 OPS; Joe Morgan has the stronger single season.
Joe Morgan vs Rusty Staub: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Morgan or Rusty Staub?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rusty Staub leads Joe Morgan in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Morgan or Rusty Staub hit more home runs?
- Rusty Staub, with 292 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Morgan, with .819 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rusty Staub, with .279 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.