Al Oliver vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Al Oliver and Willie Stargell are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Al Oliver played 1968–1985 as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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
Al Oliver (1968–1985) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Al Oliver finished with 2,743 hits and 219 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Al Oliver's 219.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Al Oliver's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Oliver, with .303 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Al Oliver, with 2,743 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Al Oliver's 1,326.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Al Oliver's 21,212.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Al Oliver's 1.
Al Oliver
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Oliver and Willie Stargell. 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 | Al Oliver | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,368 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,049 | 7,927 |
| Runs | 1,189 | Leads: 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,743 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 529 | 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 77 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 219 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,326 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | 535 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 756 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 84 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .344 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .451 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .795 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Al Oliver 42,804 to 21,212 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,038 PIV per season to 1,061, across 21 seasons to 20. 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).
Al Oliver — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Al Oliver owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Al Oliver and Willie Stargell careers compare
Al Oliver and Willie Stargell were active at the same time between 1968 and 1982. With 2,368 games against 2,360 across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Al Oliver struck out more than walked (756 to 535); Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Home runs make up a larger share of Willie Stargell's hits: 219 of 2,743 for Al Oliver, 475 of 2,232 for Willie Stargell. In slugging percentage, Willie Stargell holds the edge, .529 to .451.
Al Oliver vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Al Oliver or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Al Oliver's 219.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Al Oliver's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Oliver, with .303 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Oliver, with 2,743 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.