Frank Robinson vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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
Frank Robinson (1956–1976) and Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 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? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Robinson, with .294 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Frank Robinson's 2,943.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Frank Robinson's 1,812.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Carl Yastrzemski's 54,310.
- Who won more championships? Frank Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to Carl Yastrzemski's 0.
Frank Robinson
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Robinson and Carl Yastrzemski. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Frank Robinson | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,808 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | 10,006 | Leads: 11,988 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,829 | 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,943 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 528 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 59 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 586 | 452 |
| RBI | 1,812 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 1,420 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts | 1,532 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 204 | 168 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .462 |
| OPS | Leads: .926 | .841 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson leads Carl Yastrzemski 67,113 to 54,310 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,051 vs 2,361 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Frank Robinson leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Carl Yastrzemski owns hits and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Frank Robinson vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Robinson or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Carl Yastrzemski in 8 of 14 categories.
- Did Frank Robinson or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Robinson, with .294 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Frank Robinson's 2,943.