Cal Ripken vs Robin Yount: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken 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; Robin Yount played 1974–1993 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 Robin Yount (1974–1993) — 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; Robin Yount finished with 3,142 hits and 251 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Robin Yount's 251.
- Who had the higher OPS? Cal Ripken, with .788 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robin Yount, with .285 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Robin Yount's 3,142.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Robin Yount's 1,406.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cal Ripken, with 19,199 career PIV to Robin Yount's 18,665.
- Who won more championships? Cal Ripken, with 1 World Series title to Robin Yount's 0.
Cal Ripken
Robin Yount
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cal Ripken and Robin Yount. 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 | Robin Yount |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,001 | 2,856 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,551 | 11,008 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,647 | 1,632 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,184 | 3,142 |
| Doubles | Leads: 603 | 583 |
| Triples | 44 | Leads: 126 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 431 | 251 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,695 | 1,406 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,129 | 966 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,305 | 1,350 |
| Stolen Bases | 36 | Leads: 271 |
| Batting Avg | .276 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .340 | Leads: .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .447 | .430 |
| OPS | Leads: .788 | .772 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cal Ripken edges Robin Yount 19,199 to 18,665 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cal Ripken played 21 seasons to Robin Yount's 20, while Robin Yount carries the higher per-season figure (933 to 914). 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
Robin Yount — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cal Ripken leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Robin Yount owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cal Ripken. PIV agrees: Cal Ripken 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 Robin Yount careers compare
The careers of Cal Ripken (1981–2001) and Robin Yount (1974–1993) overlapped from 1981 to 1993, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 3,001 games for Cal Ripken and 2,856 for Robin Yount across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Robin Yount comes out ahead, it is in triples (126 to 44), stolen bases (271 to 36), and batting average (.285 to .276). At the plate, Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129), and Robin Yount struck out more than walked (1,350 to 966).
Cal Ripken vs Robin Yount: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cal Ripken or Robin Yount?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Robin Yount in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cal Ripken or Robin Yount hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Robin Yount's 251.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Cal Ripken, with .788 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robin Yount, with .285 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Robin Yount's 3,142.