Steve Garvey
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1969-1987)
Steve Garvey was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1987 for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, a span of 19 seasons. In 2,332 career games, he hit .294 with 2,599 hits, 272 home runs, and 1,308 RBI. Steve Garvey was a 10-time All-Star, an MVP, a 2-time NLCS MVP, a 2-time All-Star Game MVP, a 4-time Gold Glove, and a Roberto Clemente Award. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 14,901.
- 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
- Position
- First Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 192 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1969-09-01
- Last Game
- 1987-05-23
- Awards
- 10× All-Star · MVP · 2× NLCS MVP · 2× All-Star Game MVP · 4× Gold Glove · Roberto Clemente Award
Full name: Steven Patrick Garvey
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,332 | 8,835 | 1,143 | 2,599 | 440 | 43 | 272 | 1,308 | 83 | 479 | 1,003 | .294 | .329 | .446 | .775 | 14,901 |
Career AVG .294 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — +14.2% above league average.
Career OBP .329 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .446 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — +16.6% above league average.
Career OPS .775 vs. league average .707 across their career seasons — +9.8% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | LAN | NL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1970 | LAN | NL | 34 | 93 | 8 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 17 | .269 | .253 (+6%) | .325 (-5%) | .385 (-8%) | .711 (-7%) | -108.0 |
| 1971 | LAN | NL | 81 | 225 | 27 | 51 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 26 | 1 | 21 | 33 | .227 | .249 (-9%) | .316 (-8%) | .365 (+5%) | .682 (-1%) | -96.6 |
| 1972 | LAN | NL | 96 | 294 | 36 | 79 | 14 | 2 | 9 | 30 | 4 | 19 | 36 | .269 | .243 (+10%) | .310 (+1%) | .353 (+19%) | .664 (+10%) | 431.7 |
| 1973 | LAN | NL | 114 | 349 | 37 | 106 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 50 | 0 | 11 | 42 | .304 | .256 (+18%) | .325 (+1%) | .378 (+16%) | .703 (+9%) | 442.2 |
| 1974 | LAN | NL | 156 | 642 | 95 | 200 | 32 | 3 | 21 | 111 | 5 | 31 | 66 | .312 | .256 (+21%) | .324 (+5%) | .369 (+27%) | .693 (+17%) | 1865.8 |
| 1975 | LAN | NL | 160 | 659 | 85 | 210 | 38 | 6 | 18 | 95 | 11 | 33 | 66 | .319 | .257 (+24%) | .327 (+7%) | .374 (+27%) | .701 (+18%) | 2087.4 |
| 1976 | LAN | NL | 162 | 631 | 85 | 200 | 37 | 4 | 13 | 80 | 19 | 50 | 69 | .317 | .255 (+24%) | .320 (+13%) | .360 (+25%) | .681 (+19%) | 2280.9 |
| 1977 | LAN | NL | 162 | 646 | 91 | 192 | 25 | 3 | 33 | 115 | 9 | 38 | 90 | .297 | .264 (+12%) | .329 (+2%) | .401 (+24%) | .730 (+14%) | 1721.8 |
| 1978 | LAN | NL | 162 | 639 | 89 | 202 | 36 | 9 | 21 | 113 | 10 | 40 | 70 | .316 | .257 (+23%) | .323 (+9%) | .378 (+32%) | .702 (+21%) | 2471.2 |
| 1979 | LAN | NL | 162 | 648 | 92 | 204 | 32 | 1 | 28 | 110 | 3 | 37 | 59 | .315 | .265 (+19%) | .329 (+6%) | .397 (+25%) | .727 (+17%) | 2059.6 |
| 1980 | LAN | NL | 163 | 658 | 78 | 200 | 27 | 1 | 26 | 106 | 6 | 36 | 67 | .304 | .264 (+15%) | .326 (+4%) | .387 (+20%) | .714 (+13%) | 1637.3 |
| 1981 | LAN | NL | 110 | 431 | 63 | 122 | 23 | 1 | 10 | 64 | 3 | 25 | 49 | .283 | .255 (+11%) | .320 (+1%) | .368 (+11%) | .688 (+6%) | 406.8 |
| 1982 | LAN | NL | 162 | 625 | 66 | 176 | 35 | 1 | 16 | 86 | 5 | 20 | 86 | .282 | .261 (+8%) | .324 (-7%) | .388 (+7%) | .712 (+1%) | -137.5 |
| 1983 | SDN | NL | 100 | 388 | 76 | 114 | 22 | 0 | 14 | 59 | 4 | 29 | 39 | .294 | .260 (+13%) | .324 (+6%) | .389 (+18%) | .714 (+12%) | 839.4 |
| 1984 | SDN | NL | 161 | 617 | 72 | 175 | 27 | 2 | 8 | 86 | 1 | 24 | 64 | .284 | .259 (+9%) | .322 (-5%) | .384 (-3%) | .707 (-4%) | -520.5 |
| 1985 | SDN | NL | 162 | 654 | 80 | 184 | 34 | 6 | 17 | 81 | 0 | 35 | 67 | .281 | .257 (+9%) | .323 (-2%) | .390 (+10%) | .714 (+5%) | 416.3 |
| 1986 | SDN | NL | 155 | 557 | 58 | 142 | 22 | 0 | 21 | 81 | 1 | 23 | 72 | .255 | .257 (-1%) | .325 (-13%) | .395 (+3%) | .720 (-4%) | -495.8 |
| 1987 | SDN | NL | 27 | 76 | 5 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 10 | .211 | .262 (-20%) | .331 (-30%) | .415 (-33%) | .746 (-32%) | -400.5 |
| Career · 19 seasons | 2,332 | 8,835 | 1,143 | 2,599 | 440 | 43 | 272 | 1,308 | 83 | 479 | 1,003 | .294 | — | — | — | — | 14,901 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 222 | 32 | 75 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 31 | 8 | 32 | .338 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | NLCS | SDN | 5 | 20 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | .400 |
| 1984 | WS | SDN | 5 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .200 |
| 1981 | NLCS | LAN | 5 | 21 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | .286 |
| 1981 | NWDIV | LAN | 5 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | .368 |
| 1981 | WS | LAN | 6 | 24 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .417 |
| 1978 | NLCS | LAN | 4 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | .389 |
| 1978 | WS | LAN | 6 | 24 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .208 |
| 1977 | NLCS | LAN | 4 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .308 |
| 1977 | WS | LAN | 6 | 24 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | .375 |
| 1974 | NLCS | LAN | 4 | 18 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .389 |
| 1974 | WS | LAN | 5 | 21 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .381 |
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (2331 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1172 | 4355 | 571 | 1300 | 151 | 672 | .299 |
| Away | 1159 | 4476 | 572 | 1299 | 121 | 636 | .290 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-05-23 | SDP | WSN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-05-15 | SDP | PHI | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-05-09 | SDP | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987-05-07 | SDP | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-05-06 | SDP | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-05-05 | SDP | PIT | L | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-05-02 | SDP | CHC | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987-05-01 | SDP | CHC | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987-04-30 | SDP | STL | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-04-28 | SDP | STL | W | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2059 | 2043 | 18844 | 1026 | 81 | 1498 |
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 191 | 155 | 147 | 407 | 47 | 33 |
| OF | 10 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | LAN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | LAN | 3B | 27 | 22 | 23 | 59 | 5 | 4 |
| 1971 | LAN | 3B | 79 | 60 | 53 | 161 | 14 | 11 |
| 1972 | LAN | 1B | 3 | 3 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 1972 | LAN | 3B | 85 | 73 | 71 | 187 | 28 | 18 |
| 1973 | LAN | 1B | 76 | 72 | 718 | 26 | 5 | 58 |
| 1973 | LAN | OF | 10 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | LAN | 1B | 156 | 156 | 1536 | 62 | 8 | 108 |
| 1975 | LAN | 1B | 160 | 160 | 1500 | 77 | 8 | 96 |
| 1976 | LAN | 1B | 162 | 162 | 1583 | 67 | 3 | 138 |
| 1977 | LAN | 1B | 160 | 160 | 1606 | 55 | 8 | 137 |
| 1978 | LAN | 1B | 161 | 162 | 1546 | 74 | 9 | 121 |
| 1979 | LAN | 1B | 162 | 162 | 1402 | 93 | 7 | 101 |
| 1980 | LAN | 1B | 162 | 162 | 1502 | 112 | 6 | 122 |
| 1981 | LAN | 1B | 110 | 110 | 1019 | 55 | 1 | 84 |
| 1982 | LAN | 1B | 158 | 156 | 1539 | 111 | 8 | 102 |
| 1983 | SDN | 1B | 100 | 100 | 888 | 49 | 6 | 69 |
| 1984 | SDN | 1B | 159 | 159 | 1232 | 87 | 0 | 117 |
| 1985 | SDN | 1B | 162 | 162 | 1442 | 92 | 5 | 138 |
| 1986 | SDN | 1B | 148 | 138 | 1160 | 53 | 7 | 94 |
| 1987 | SDN | 1B | 20 | 19 | 138 | 11 | 0 | 10 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 2057 |
| Second Base | 1 |
| Third Base | 191 |
| Shortstop | 1 |
| Left Field | 8 |
| Right Field | 1 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Lou Gehrig Memorial Award | |
| 1984 | NLCS MVP | |
| 1983 | Player of the Week | Week of 1983-04-15 |
| 1981 | Roberto Clemente Award | |
| 1978 | All-Star Game MVP | |
| 1978 | NLCS MVP | |
| 1978 | Player of the Week | Week of 1978-08-18 |
| 1978 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1977 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 1977 | Player of the Week | Week of 1977-06-24 |
| 1977 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1976 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 1976 | Player of the Month | September |
| 1976 | Player of the Week | Week of 1976-05-21 |
| 1975 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 1975 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1974 | All-Star Game MVP | |
| 1974 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 1974 | Most Valuable Player | |
| 1974 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
Salary History
Steve Garvey's recorded salaries total $3,675,000 over 3 seasons, 1985 to 1987. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Garvey's career ran from 1969 to 1987. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | SDN | NL | $1,450,000 |
| 1986 | SDN | NL | $1,250,000 |
| 1985 | SDN | NL | $975,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $3,675,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University | East Lansing | MI | 1967, 1968 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 20th | 5.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1981 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 25th | 1.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1980 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 131.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1979 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 14th | 30.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1978 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 2nd | 194.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1977 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 98.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1976 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 51.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1975 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 11th | 50.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1974 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 1st | 270.0 | 336 | 13 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Steve Garvey (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Steve Garvey
Steve Garvey: the record in brief
Steve Garvey's major league career runs from a debut on September 1, 1969 to a final game on May 23, 1987. Garvey played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1969 to 1982) and the San Diego Padres (1983 to 1987). Garvey played primarily as a first baseman and batted and threw right-handed. Born on December 22, 1948, in Tampa, FL, USA, Garvey was listed at 192 pounds on a 5-foot-10 frame. Garvey's full given name, per the bio, is Steven Patrick Garvey.
Across 2,332 games at the plate, Garvey's career line reads 2,599 hits in 8,835 at bats for a .294 average; the totals also include 272 home runs, 1,308 RBI, and 83 stolen bases. Garvey got on base at a .329 rate and slugged .446 (.775 OPS). Set against a .258 league average for the same years, Garvey's .294 average sits 14.2% above it. In OPS terms, Garvey's .775 stands 9.8% above the league's .707. 1977 was Garvey's biggest home run year, with 33.
Frequently Asked Questions about Steve Garvey
- What years did Steve Garvey play?
- Steve Garvey played in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1987.
- Was Steve Garvey a pitcher?
- No. Steve Garvey was a position player (First Baseman).
- How many home runs did Steve Garvey hit?
- Steve Garvey hit 272 career home runs with 2,599 hits.
- What teams did Steve Garvey play for?
- Steve Garvey played for 2 teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers (1969–1982) and the San Diego Padres (1983–1987).
- How many MVP awards did Steve Garvey win?
- Steve Garvey won 1 MVP award, in 1974.
- What awards did Steve Garvey win?
- Steve Garvey won the MVP award (1974) and 4 Gold Gloves (1974, 1975, 1976, and 1977). He was selected to 10 All-Star Games.
- What were Steve Garvey's career stats?
- In 2,332 games, Steve Garvey had 2,599 hits, 272 home runs, 1,308 RBI, 1,143 runs, and 83 stolen bases, with a .294 batting average.
- How much did Steve Garvey earn in his career?
- Steve Garvey's recorded salaries total $3,675,000 over 3 seasons, 1985 to 1987. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Garvey's career ran from 1969 to 1987. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
- What was Steve Garvey's salary?
- Steve Garvey's last recorded salary was $1,450,000, in 1987. His highest recorded salary was $1,450,000, in 1987, and his lowest was $975,000, in 1985. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1987.
- What position did Steve Garvey play?
- Steve Garvey played primarily as a first baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Steve Garvey and how much did he weigh?
- Steve Garvey was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 192 pounds.
- How many home runs did Steve Garvey hit each season?
- Steve Garvey's home runs by season: 0 in 1969, 1 in 1970, 7 in 1971, 9 in 1972, 8 in 1973, 21 in 1974, 18 in 1975, 13 in 1976, 33 in 1977, 21 in 1978, 28 in 1979, 26 in 1980, 10 in 1981, 16 in 1982, 14 in 1983, 8 in 1984, 17 in 1985, 21 in 1986, and 1 in 1987. His most in one season was 33, in 1977.
- What was Steve Garvey's career batting average?
- Steve Garvey batted .294 over his career, with 2,599 hits in 8,835 at bats.
- How many RBI did Steve Garvey have?
- Steve Garvey drove in 1,308 runs in his career.