Paul O'Neill vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; 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
Paul O'Neill (1985–2001) and Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul O'Neill finished with 2,105 hits and 281 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 Paul O'Neill's 281.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul O'Neill, with .833 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul O'Neill, with .288 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Paul O'Neill's 2,105.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Paul O'Neill's 1,269.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Winfield, with 34,842 career PIV to Paul O'Neill's 18,817.
- Who won more championships? Paul O'Neill, with 5 World Series titles to Dave Winfield's 1.
Paul O'Neill
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul O'Neill 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Paul O'Neill | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,053 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 7,318 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 1,041 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 2,105 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | 451 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 281 | Leads: 465 |
| RBI | 1,269 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | 892 | Leads: 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,166 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | 141 | Leads: 223 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .363 | .353 |
| Slugging % | .470 | Leads: .475 |
| OPS | Leads: .833 | .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Winfield outpaces Paul O'Neill 34,842 to 18,817 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,515 PIV per season to 1,107, across 23 seasons to 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
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 Paul O'Neill owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. 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 Paul O'Neill and Dave Winfield careers compare
The careers of Paul O'Neill (1985–2001) and Dave Winfield (1973–1995) overlapped from 1985 to 1995, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,053 games against 2,973 across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Paul O'Neill comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.288 to .283), on-base percentage (.363 to .353), and OPS (.833 to .827). At the plate, Paul O'Neill struck out more than walked (1,166 to 892), and Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216). Dave Winfield was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Paul O'Neill holds the edge, .363 to .353.
Paul O'Neill vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul O'Neill or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Winfield leads Paul O'Neill in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul O'Neill or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Dave Winfield, with 465 to Paul O'Neill's 281.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul O'Neill, with .833 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul O'Neill, with .288 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Paul O'Neill's 2,105.