Hank Aaron vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron and Pete Rose are close to even, splitting the 14 statistical categories compared on this page 7–7. Hank Aaron played 1954–1976 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Hank Aaron (1954–1976) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Aaron, with 755 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Aaron, with .305 to Pete Rose's .303.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Hank Aaron's 3,771.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Hank Aaron's 1.
Hank Aaron
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Pete Rose. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Aaron | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 3,298 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 12,364 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 2,165 |
| Hits | 3,771 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 624 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 98 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,402 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts | 1,383 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 198 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .303 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .784 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Pete Rose 78,640 to 40,772 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,419 vs 1,631 per year). 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).
Hank Aaron — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Aaron leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Pete Rose owns hits and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Aaron. PIV agrees: Hank Aaron grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Hank Aaron vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Hank Aaron or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Aaron, with .305 to Pete Rose's .303.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Hank Aaron's 3,771.