Babe Ruth vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Babe Ruth has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Babe Ruth played 1914–1935 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
Babe Ruth (1914–1935) and Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Babe Ruth finished with 2,873 hits and 714 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? Babe Ruth, with 714 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS? Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Babe Ruth, with .342 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Babe Ruth's 2,873.
- Who drove in more runs? Babe Ruth, with 2,217 to Carl Yastrzemski's 1,844.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Babe Ruth, with 111,979 career PIV to Carl Yastrzemski's 54,310.
- Who won more championships? Babe Ruth, with 7 World Series titles to Carl Yastrzemski's 0.
Babe Ruth
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Babe Ruth 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 1910s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Babe Ruth | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,503 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | 8,398 | Leads: 11,988 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,873 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 506 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 136 | 59 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 714 | 452 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,217 | 1,844 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,062 | 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,330 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | 123 | Leads: 168 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .342 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .474 | .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .690 | .462 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.164 | .841 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Babe Ruth outpaces Carl Yastrzemski 111,979 to 54,310 — driven by per-season impact — 5,090 PIV per season to 2,361 — rather than by longevity, since Babe Ruth played 22 seasons to Carl Yastrzemski'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).
Babe Ruth — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Babe Ruth leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Carl Yastrzemski owns hits and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Babe Ruth. PIV agrees: Babe Ruth grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Babe Ruth and Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
No season is shared: Babe Ruth played 1914–1935, Carl Yastrzemski 1961–1983. With 2,503 games against 3,308 across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Babe Ruth walked more often than struck out (2,062 walks, 1,330 strikeouts), and Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Babe Ruth is the more power-leaning hitter, with 714 of 2,873 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Carl Yastrzemski stole more often per game played (123 steals in 2,503 games for Babe Ruth, 168 in 3,308 for Carl Yastrzemski). In on-base percentage, Babe Ruth holds the edge, .474 to .379.
Babe Ruth vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Babe Ruth or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Babe Ruth leads Carl Yastrzemski in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Babe Ruth or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Babe Ruth, with 714 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Babe Ruth, with 1.164 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Babe Ruth, with .342 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Babe Ruth's 2,873.