Paul O'Neill vs Darryl Strawberry: Career Stats Comparison
Paul O'Neill has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Paul O'Neill played 1985–2001 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
Paul O'Neill (1985–2001) and Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Paul O'Neill finished with 2,105 hits and 281 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? Darryl Strawberry, with 335 to Paul O'Neill's 281.
- Who had the higher OPS? Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Paul O'Neill's .833.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul O'Neill, with .288 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits? Paul O'Neill, with 2,105 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul O'Neill, with 1,269 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,000.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Darryl Strawberry, with 22,150 career PIV to Paul O'Neill's 18,817.
- Who won more championships? Paul O'Neill, with 5 World Series titles to Darryl Strawberry's 4.
Paul O'Neill
Darryl Strawberry
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul O'Neill 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Paul O'Neill | Darryl Strawberry |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,053 | 1,583 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,318 | 5,418 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,041 | 898 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,105 | 1,401 |
| Doubles | Leads: 451 | 256 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 281 | Leads: 335 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,269 | 1,000 |
| Walks | Leads: 892 | 816 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,166 | 1,352 |
| Stolen Bases | 141 | Leads: 221 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .259 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .363 | .357 |
| Slugging % | .470 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .833 | Leads: .862 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Darryl Strawberry leads Paul O'Neill 22,150 to 18,817 — driven by per-season impact — 1,303 PIV per season to 1,107 — rather than by longevity, since Darryl Strawberry played 17 seasons to Paul O'Neill's 17. 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).
Paul O'Neill — top 3 seasons by OPS
Darryl Strawberry — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul O'Neill leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Darryl Strawberry owns home runs, stolen bases, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul O'Neill. Note that PIV actually grades Darryl Strawberry ahead, which means Paul O'Neill's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Paul O'Neill and Darryl Strawberry careers compare
The careers of Paul O'Neill (1985–2001) and Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) overlapped from 1985 to 1999, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,053 games against 1,583 across 17 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Paul O'Neill struck out more than walked (1,166 to 892), and Darryl Strawberry struck out more than walked (1,352 to 816). Home runs make up a larger share of Darryl Strawberry's hits: 281 of 2,105 for Paul O'Neill, 335 of 1,401 for Darryl Strawberry.
Paul O'Neill vs Darryl Strawberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul O'Neill or Darryl Strawberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul O'Neill leads Darryl Strawberry in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul O'Neill or Darryl Strawberry hit more home runs?
- Darryl Strawberry, with 335 to Paul O'Neill's 281.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Paul O'Neill's .833.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul O'Neill, with .288 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul O'Neill, with 2,105 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.