Roberto Alomar vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roberto Alomar played 1988–2004 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
Roberto Alomar (1988–2004) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Roberto Alomar finished with 2,724 hits and 210 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 Roberto Alomar's 210.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Roberto Alomar's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Alomar, with .300 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Roberto Alomar's 2,724.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Roberto Alomar's 1,134.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Roberto Alomar's 20,285.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Alomar, with 2 World Series titles to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Roberto Alomar
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Alomar 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Alomar | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,379 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 9,073 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,508 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,724 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 504 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 80 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 210 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,134 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 1,032 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,140 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 474 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .300 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .371 |
| Slugging % | .443 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Roberto Alomar 42,814 to 20,285 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,141 PIV per season to 1,068, across 20 seasons to 19. 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).
Roberto Alomar — 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 Roberto Alomar 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 Roberto Alomar and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
The careers of Roberto Alomar (1988–2004) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) overlapped from 1988 to 2004, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,379 games against 2,831 across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Roberto Alomar's edges on the table are triples (80 to 38), stolen bases (474 to 97), and batting average (.300 to .288). At the plate, Roberto Alomar struck out more than walked (1,140 to 1,032), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Rafael Palmeiro's hits: 210 of 2,724 for Roberto Alomar, 569 of 3,020 for Rafael Palmeiro.
Roberto Alomar vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Alomar or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Roberto Alomar in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Alomar or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Roberto Alomar's 210.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Roberto Alomar's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Alomar, with .300 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Roberto Alomar's 2,724.