Joe Morgan vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski 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). Joe Morgan played 1963–1984 as a hitter; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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 Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — 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; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Joe Morgan's 1,133.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Joe Morgan's 39,255.
- Who won more championships? Joe Morgan, with 2 World Series titles to Carl Yastrzemski's 0.
Joe Morgan
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Morgan and Carl Yastrzemski. 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 | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,649 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | 9,277 | Leads: 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,650 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,517 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 449 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 96 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 268 | Leads: 452 |
| RBI | 1,133 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,865 | 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,015 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 689 | 168 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .392 | .379 |
| Slugging % | .427 | Leads: .462 |
| OPS | .819 | Leads: .841 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski outpaces Joe Morgan 54,310 to 39,255 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,361 PIV per season to 1,784, across 23 seasons to 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
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Yastrzemski leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe Morgan owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski 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 Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
From 1963 through 1983, Joe Morgan and Carl Yastrzemski were in the majors together. With 2,649 games against 3,308 across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Joe Morgan are triples (96 to 59), walks (1,865 to 1,845), and stolen bases (689 to 168). Joe Morgan walked more often than struck out (1,865 walks, 1,015 strikeouts); Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). On the bases, Joe Morgan stole more often per game played (689 steals in 2,649 games for Joe Morgan, 168 in 3,308 for Carl Yastrzemski). Carl Yastrzemski's slugging percentage of .462 tops Joe Morgan's .427.
Joe Morgan vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Morgan or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Joe Morgan in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Morgan or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.