Ron Santo vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield 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). Ron Santo played 1960–1974 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
Ron Santo (1960–1974) and Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ron Santo finished with 2,254 hits and 342 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 Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dave Winfield, with .827 to Ron Santo's .826.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Winfield, with .283 to Ron Santo's .277.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Ron Santo's 2,254.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Ron Santo's 1,331.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Winfield, with 34,842 career PIV to Ron Santo's 33,743.
- Who won more championships? Dave Winfield, with 1 World Series title to Ron Santo's 0.
Ron Santo
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ron Santo 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ron Santo | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,243 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 8,143 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 1,138 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 2,254 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | 365 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 67 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 342 | Leads: 465 |
| RBI | 1,331 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | 1,108 | Leads: 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,343 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | 35 | Leads: 223 |
| Batting Avg | .277 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .362 | .353 |
| Slugging % | .464 | Leads: .475 |
| OPS | .826 | Leads: .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Winfield edges Ron Santo 34,842 to 33,743 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dave Winfield played 23 seasons to Ron Santo's 15, while Ron Santo carries the higher per-season figure (2,250 to 1,515). 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).
Ron Santo — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Winfield leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ron Santo owns OBP. 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 Ron Santo and Dave Winfield careers compare
Ron Santo and Dave Winfield were active at the same time between 1973 and 1974. The two careers are close in length, 2,243 games for Ron Santo and 2,973 for Dave Winfield across 15 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ron Santo's edges on the table are on-base percentage (.362 to .353). Ron Santo struck out more than walked (1,343 to 1,108); Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216). On the bases, Dave Winfield stole more often per game played (35 steals in 2,243 games for Ron Santo, 223 in 2,973 for Dave Winfield). Dave Winfield's slugging percentage of .475 tops Ron Santo's .464.
Ron Santo vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ron Santo or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Winfield leads Ron Santo in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ron Santo or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Dave Winfield, with 465 to Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dave Winfield, with .827 to Ron Santo's .826.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Winfield, with .283 to Ron Santo's .277.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Ron Santo's 2,254.