Thurman Munson vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; 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
Thurman Munson (1969–1979) and Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Thurman Munson finished with 1,558 hits and 113 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? Dave Winfield, with 465 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dave Winfield, with .827 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average? Thurman Munson, with .292 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Thurman Munson's 1,558.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Thurman Munson's 701.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Winfield, with 34,842 career PIV to Thurman Munson's 8,466.
- Who won more championships? Thurman Munson, with 2 World Series titles to Dave Winfield's 1.
Thurman Munson
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Thurman Munson 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Thurman Munson | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,423 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 5,344 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 696 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 1,558 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | 229 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 113 | Leads: 465 |
| RBI | 701 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | 438 | Leads: 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 571 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | 48 | Leads: 223 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .292 | .283 |
| On-Base % | .346 | Leads: .353 |
| Slugging % | .410 | Leads: .475 |
| OPS | .756 | Leads: .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Winfield outpaces Thurman Munson 34,842 to 8,466 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,515 PIV per season to 770, across 23 seasons to 11. 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
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Winfield leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Thurman Munson owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Winfield. PIV agrees: Dave Winfield 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 Dave Winfield careers compare
From 1973 through 1979, Thurman Munson and Dave Winfield were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Thurman Munson appeared in 1,423 games to Dave Winfield's 2,973. Thurman Munson's edges on the table are batting average (.292 to .283). Thurman Munson struck out more than walked (571 to 438); Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216). Dave Winfield is the more power-leaning hitter, with 465 of 3,110 hits leaving the park. Dave Winfield was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Dave Winfield holds the edge, .475 to .410.
Thurman Munson vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Thurman Munson or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Winfield leads Thurman Munson in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Thurman Munson or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Dave Winfield, with 465 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dave Winfield, with .827 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Thurman Munson, with .292 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Thurman Munson's 1,558.