Ted Simmons vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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
Ted Simmons (1968–1988) and Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 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? Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .285.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Ted Simmons's 1,389.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
Ted Simmons
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ted Simmons 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ted Simmons | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,456 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | 8,680 | Leads: 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,074 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,472 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 483 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 59 |
| Home Runs | 248 | Leads: 452 |
| RBI | 1,389 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 855 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 694 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | 21 | Leads: 168 |
| Batting Avg | .285 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | .437 | Leads: .462 |
| OPS | .785 | Leads: .841 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski outpaces Ted Simmons 54,310 to 20,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,361 PIV per season to 959, across 23 seasons to 21. 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).
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Yastrzemski leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ted Simmons owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ted Simmons and Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
From 1968 through 1983, Ted Simmons and Carl Yastrzemski were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,456 games for Ted Simmons and 3,308 for Carl Yastrzemski across 21 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Carl Yastrzemski. At the plate, Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts), and Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Carl Yastrzemski's hits: 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons, 452 of 3,419 for Carl Yastrzemski.
Ted Simmons vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ted Simmons or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Ted Simmons in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ted Simmons or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.