Dave Winfield vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dave Winfield played 1973–1995 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
Dave Winfield (1973–1995) and Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 11 seasons. Dave Winfield finished with 3,110 hits and 465 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 leads the career comparison? Carl Yastrzemski, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Winfield, with 465 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Dave Winfield's 3,110.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Dave Winfield's 1,833.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Dave Winfield's 34,842.
Dave Winfield
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dave Winfield and Carl Yastrzemski. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Dave Winfield | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,973 | 3,308 |
| At-Bats not scored | 11,003 | 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,669 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 3,110 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 540 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 88 | 59 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 465 | 452 |
| RBI | 1,833 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 1,216 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,686 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 223 | 168 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .353 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .462 |
| OPS | .827 | Leads: .841 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski outpaces Dave Winfield 54,310 to 34,842 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,361 PIV per season to 1,584, across 23 seasons to 22. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Carl Yastrzemski leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, RBI, and others. Dave Winfield leads 4: triples, home runs, stolen bases, and slugging percentage. 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 Dave Winfield and Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
Dave Winfield and Carl Yastrzemski were active at the same time between 1973 and 1983. The two careers are close in length, 2,973 games for Dave Winfield and 3,308 for Carl Yastrzemski across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Dave Winfield comes out ahead, it is in triples (88 to 59), home runs (465 to 452), and stolen bases (223 to 168). Plate discipline differs: Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216), but Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts).
Dave Winfield vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Winfield or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Dave Winfield in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Dave Winfield or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Dave Winfield, with 465 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Dave Winfield's 3,110.