Dick Allen vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro 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). Dick Allen played 1963–1977 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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
Dick Allen (1963–1977) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Dick Allen finished with 1,848 hits and 351 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Dick Allen's 351.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dick Allen, with .912 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dick Allen, with .292 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Dick Allen's 1,848.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Dick Allen's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Dick Allen's 40,487.
Dick Allen
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dick Allen and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dick Allen | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,749 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 6,332 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,099 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 1,848 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 79 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 351 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 894 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,556 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 133 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .292 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .378 | .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .534 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: .912 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro edges Dick Allen 42,814 to 40,487 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons to Dick Allen's 15, while Dick Allen carries the higher per-season figure (2,699 to 2,141). 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).
Dick Allen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Dick Allen owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dick Allen and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
Dick Allen (1963–1977) was finished before Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) arrived, so they never shared a league. Rafael Palmeiro has the far longer record, 2,831 games against 1,749 across 15 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. At the plate, Dick Allen struck out more than walked (1,556 to 894), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). On the bases, Dick Allen stole more often per game played (133 steals in 1,749 games for Dick Allen, 97 in 2,831 for Rafael Palmeiro). Dick Allen's slugging percentage of .534 tops Rafael Palmeiro's .515.
Dick Allen vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dick Allen or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Dick Allen in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Dick Allen or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Dick Allen's 351.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dick Allen, with .912 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dick Allen, with .292 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Dick Allen's 1,848.