Graig Nettles vs Darryl Strawberry: Career Stats Comparison
Graig Nettles 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). Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 as a hitter; Darryl Strawberry played 1983–1999 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
Graig Nettles (1967–1988) and Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs; Darryl Strawberry finished with 1,401 hits and 335 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Darryl Strawberry's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS? Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Darryl Strawberry, with .259 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,000.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Darryl Strawberry, with 22,150 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Darryl Strawberry, with 4 World Series titles to Graig Nettles's 2.
Graig Nettles
Darryl Strawberry
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Graig Nettles and Darryl Strawberry. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Graig Nettles | Darryl Strawberry |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,700 | 1,583 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,986 | 5,418 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,193 | 898 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,225 | 1,401 |
| Doubles | Leads: 328 | 256 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 390 | 335 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,314 | 1,000 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,088 | 816 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,209 | 1,352 |
| Stolen Bases | 32 | Leads: 221 |
| Batting Avg | .248 | Leads: .259 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | .421 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .750 | Leads: .862 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Darryl Strawberry outpaces Graig Nettles 22,150 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,303 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Darryl Strawberry played 17 seasons to Graig Nettles'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).
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Darryl Strawberry — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Darryl Strawberry leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Graig Nettles owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Darryl Strawberry. PIV agrees: Darryl Strawberry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Graig Nettles and Darryl Strawberry careers compare
Graig Nettles and Darryl Strawberry were active at the same time between 1983 and 1988. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Graig Nettles appeared in 2,700 games to Darryl Strawberry's 1,583. At the plate, Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088), and Darryl Strawberry struck out more than walked (1,352 to 816). Darryl Strawberry is the more power-leaning hitter, with 335 of 1,401 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Darryl Strawberry stole more often per game played (32 steals in 2,700 games for Graig Nettles, 221 in 1,583 for Darryl Strawberry). Darryl Strawberry's slugging percentage of .505 tops Graig Nettles's .421.
Graig Nettles vs Darryl Strawberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Graig Nettles or Darryl Strawberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Graig Nettles leads Darryl Strawberry in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Graig Nettles or Darryl Strawberry hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Darryl Strawberry's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Darryl Strawberry, with .259 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.