Brooks Robinson vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Brooks Robinson played 1955–1977 as a hitter; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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
Brooks Robinson (1955–1977) and Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Brooks Robinson finished with 2,848 hits and 268 home runs; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Brooks Robinson's 2,848.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Brooks Robinson's 1,357.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Brooks Robinson's 9,441.
- Who won more championships? Brooks Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to Carl Yastrzemski's 0.
Brooks Robinson
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Brooks Robinson and Carl Yastrzemski. 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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Brooks Robinson | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,896 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | 10,654 | Leads: 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,232 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,848 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 482 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 68 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 268 | Leads: 452 |
| RBI | 1,357 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 860 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 990 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 168 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .322 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | .401 | Leads: .462 |
| OPS | .723 | Leads: .841 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski outpaces Brooks Robinson 54,310 to 9,441 — driven by per-season impact — 2,361 PIV per season to 410 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Yastrzemski played 23 seasons to Brooks Robinson's 23. 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).
Brooks Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Yastrzemski leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Brooks Robinson owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brooks Robinson and Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
From 1961 through 1977, Brooks Robinson and Carl Yastrzemski were in the majors together. With 2,896 games against 3,308 across 23 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Brooks Robinson's edges on the table are triples (68 to 59). At the plate, Brooks Robinson struck out more than walked (990 to 860), while Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Carl Yastrzemski is the more power-leaning hitter, with 452 of 3,419 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Carl Yastrzemski stole more often per game played (28 steals in 2,896 games for Brooks Robinson, 168 in 3,308 for Carl Yastrzemski).
Brooks Robinson vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brooks Robinson or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Brooks Robinson in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Brooks Robinson or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Brooks Robinson's 2,848.