Gary Sheffield vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Gary Sheffield and Dave Winfield are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Gary Sheffield played 1988–2009 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
Gary Sheffield (1988–2009) and Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Gary Sheffield finished with 2,689 hits and 509 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? Gary Sheffield, with 509 to Dave Winfield's 465.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gary Sheffield, with .907 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Gary Sheffield, with .292 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Gary Sheffield's 2,689.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Gary Sheffield's 1,676.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gary Sheffield, with 44,001 career PIV to Dave Winfield's 34,842.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Gary Sheffield
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Sheffield 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gary Sheffield | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,576 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 9,217 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 1,636 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 2,689 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | 467 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 509 | 465 |
| RBI | 1,676 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,475 | 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,171 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 253 | 223 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .292 | .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .393 | .353 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .514 | .475 |
| OPS | Leads: .907 | .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gary Sheffield leads Dave Winfield 44,001 to 34,842 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,833 PIV per season to 1,515, across 24 seasons to 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).
Gary Sheffield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gary Sheffield leads in home runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Dave Winfield owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gary Sheffield. PIV agrees: Gary Sheffield grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gary Sheffield and Dave Winfield careers compare
From 1988 through 1995, Gary Sheffield and Dave Winfield were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,576 games for Gary Sheffield and 2,973 for Dave Winfield across 24 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Gary Sheffield walked more often than struck out (1,475 walks, 1,171 strikeouts), but Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216). Gary Sheffield was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Best seasons: 1996 for Gary Sheffield (1.090 OPS, 42 HR, 120 RBI, .314 avg) and 1979 for Dave Winfield (.953 OPS, 34 HR, 118 RBI, .308 avg).
Gary Sheffield vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Gary Sheffield or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Gary Sheffield, with 509 to Dave Winfield's 465.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gary Sheffield, with .907 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Gary Sheffield, with .292 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Gary Sheffield's 2,689.