Cal Ripken vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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
Cal Ripken (1981–2001) and Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 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 Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dave Winfield, with .827 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Winfield, with .283 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Dave Winfield's 3,110.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Cal Ripken's 1,695.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Winfield, with 34,842 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Cal Ripken
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cal Ripken 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 | Cal Ripken | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,001 | 2,973 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,551 | 11,003 |
| Runs | 1,647 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,184 | 3,110 |
| Doubles | Leads: 603 | 540 |
| Triples | 44 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 431 | Leads: 465 |
| RBI | 1,695 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | 1,129 | Leads: 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,305 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | 36 | Leads: 223 |
| Batting Avg | .276 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | .340 | Leads: .353 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .475 |
| OPS | .788 | Leads: .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Winfield outpaces Cal Ripken 34,842 to 19,199 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,515 PIV per season to 914, across 23 seasons to 21. 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).
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Winfield leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Cal Ripken owns hits. 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 Cal Ripken and Dave Winfield careers compare
From 1981 through 1995, Cal Ripken and Dave Winfield were in the majors together. With 3,001 games against 2,973 across 21 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Cal Ripken comes out ahead, it is in games (3,001 to 2,973), at-bats (11,551 to 11,003), and hits (3,184 to 3,110). Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129); 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, Dave Winfield holds the edge, .353 to .340.
Cal Ripken vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cal Ripken or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Winfield leads Cal Ripken in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cal Ripken or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Dave Winfield, with 465 to Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dave Winfield, with .827 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Winfield, with .283 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Dave Winfield's 3,110.