Thurman Munson vs Will Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Thurman Munson 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). Thurman Munson played 1969–1979 as a hitter; Will Smith has played 2019–present 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
Thurman Munson (1969–1979) and Will Smith (2019–present) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Thurman Munson finished with 1,558 hits and 113 home runs; Will Smith has 722 hits and 138 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Will Smith, with 138 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Will Smith, with .829 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average? Thurman Munson, with .292 to Will Smith's .263.
- Who had more hits? Thurman Munson, with 1,558 to Will Smith's 722.
- Who drove in more runs? Thurman Munson, with 701 to Will Smith's 476.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Thurman Munson, with 8,466 career PIV to Will Smith's 7,878.
- Who won more championships? Will Smith, with 3 World Series titles to Thurman Munson's 2.
Thurman Munson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Thurman Munson and Will Smith. 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 1960s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Will Smith is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Thurman Munson | Will Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,423 | 795 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,344 | 2,743 |
| Runs | Leads: 696 | 448 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,558 | 722 |
| Doubles | Leads: 229 | 137 |
| Triples | Leads: 32 | 10 |
| Home Runs | 113 | Leads: 138 |
| RBI | Leads: 701 | 476 |
| Walks | Leads: 438 | 364 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 571 | 599 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 48 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .292 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .346 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .410 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | .756 | Leads: .829 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Thurman Munson edges Will Smith 8,466 to 7,878 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Thurman Munson played 11 seasons to Will Smith's 7, while Will Smith carries the higher per-season figure (1,125 to 770). 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).
Thurman Munson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Will Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Thurman Munson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Will Smith owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Thurman Munson. PIV agrees: Thurman Munson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Thurman Munson and Will Smith careers compare
Thurman Munson (1969–1979) was finished before Will Smith (2019–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 1,423 games of Thurman Munson with 795 of Will Smith across 11 and 7 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Will Smith comes out ahead, it is in home runs (138 to 113), on-base percentage (.358 to .346), and slugging percentage (.471 to .410). Thurman Munson struck out more than walked (571 to 438); Will Smith struck out more than walked (599 to 364). Home runs make up a larger share of Will Smith's hits: 113 of 1,558 for Thurman Munson, 138 of 722 for Will Smith. Because Will Smith is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Thurman Munson vs Will Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Thurman Munson or Will Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Thurman Munson leads Will Smith in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Thurman Munson or Will Smith hit more home runs?
- Will Smith, with 138 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Will Smith, with .829 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Thurman Munson, with .292 to Will Smith's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Thurman Munson, with 1,558 to Will Smith's 722.