Gary Sheffield vs Robin Yount: Career Stats Comparison
Gary Sheffield has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Gary Sheffield played 1988–2009 as a hitter; Robin Yount played 1974–1993 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 Robin Yount (1974–1993) — 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; Robin Yount finished with 3,142 hits and 251 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 Robin Yount's 251.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gary Sheffield, with .907 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average? Gary Sheffield, with .292 to Robin Yount's .285.
- Who had more hits? Robin Yount, with 3,142 to Gary Sheffield's 2,689.
- Who drove in more runs? Gary Sheffield, with 1,676 to Robin Yount's 1,406.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gary Sheffield, with 44,001 career PIV to Robin Yount's 18,665.
- Who won more championships? Gary Sheffield, with 1 World Series title to Robin Yount's 0.
Gary Sheffield
Robin Yount
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Sheffield and Robin Yount. 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 | Robin Yount |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,576 | Leads: 2,856 |
| At-Bats | 9,217 | Leads: 11,008 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,636 | 1,632 |
| Hits | 2,689 | Leads: 3,142 |
| Doubles | 467 | Leads: 583 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 126 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 509 | 251 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,676 | 1,406 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,475 | 966 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,171 | 1,350 |
| Stolen Bases | 253 | Leads: 271 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .292 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .393 | .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .514 | .430 |
| OPS | Leads: .907 | .772 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gary Sheffield outpaces Robin Yount 44,001 to 18,665 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,833 PIV per season to 933, across 24 seasons to 20. 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
Robin Yount — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gary Sheffield leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Robin Yount owns hits and stolen bases. 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 Robin Yount careers compare
Gary Sheffield and Robin Yount were active at the same time between 1988 and 1993. With 2,576 games against 2,856 across 24 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Gary Sheffield walked more often than struck out (1,475 walks, 1,171 strikeouts), but Robin Yount struck out more than walked (1,350 to 966). Home runs make up a larger share of Gary Sheffield's hits: 509 of 2,689 for Gary Sheffield, 251 of 3,142 for Robin Yount. On the bases, Gary Sheffield stole more often per game played (253 steals in 2,576 games for Gary Sheffield, 271 in 2,856 for Robin Yount).
Gary Sheffield vs Robin Yount: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Sheffield or Robin Yount?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gary Sheffield leads Robin Yount in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gary Sheffield or Robin Yount hit more home runs?
- Gary Sheffield, with 509 to Robin Yount's 251.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gary Sheffield, with .907 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Gary Sheffield, with .292 to Robin Yount's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Robin Yount, with 3,142 to Gary Sheffield's 2,689.