Harold Baines vs Bobby Bonilla: Career Stats Comparison
Harold Baines has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Harold Baines played 1980–2001 as a hitter; Bobby Bonilla played 1986–2001 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
Harold Baines (1980–2001) and Bobby Bonilla (1986–2001) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; Bobby Bonilla finished with 2,010 hits and 287 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harold Baines, with 384 to Bobby Bonilla's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Bonilla, with .829 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harold Baines, with .289 to Bobby Bonilla's .279.
- Who had more hits? Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Bobby Bonilla's 2,010.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to Bobby Bonilla's 1,173.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harold Baines, with 25,497 career PIV to Bobby Bonilla's 19,507.
- Who won more championships? Bobby Bonilla, with 1 World Series title to Harold Baines's 0.
Harold Baines
Bobby Bonilla
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Bobby Bonilla. 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 | Harold Baines | Bobby Bonilla |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 2,113 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 7,213 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,299 | 1,084 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,866 | 2,010 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 408 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 61 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 384 | 287 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 1,173 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,062 | 912 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,204 |
| Stolen Bases | 34 | Leads: 45 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .289 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .465 | Leads: .472 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .829 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harold Baines leads Bobby Bonilla 25,497 to 19,507 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harold Baines played 27 seasons to Bobby Bonilla's 19, while Bobby Bonilla carries the higher per-season figure (1,027 to 944). 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).
Harold Baines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bobby Bonilla — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harold Baines leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Bonilla owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harold Baines. PIV agrees: Harold Baines grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harold Baines and Bobby Bonilla careers compare
The careers of Harold Baines (1980–2001) and Bobby Bonilla (1986–2001) overlapped from 1986 to 2001, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,830 games against 2,113 across 27 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062), and Bobby Bonilla struck out more than walked (1,204 to 912). Bobby Bonilla's slugging percentage of .472 tops Harold Baines's .465. Best seasons: 1999 for Harold Baines (.977 OPS, 24 HR, 81 RBI, .322 avg) and 1995 for Bobby Bonilla (.984 OPS, 18 HR, 53 RBI, .325 avg).
Harold Baines vs Bobby Bonilla: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or Bobby Bonilla?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harold Baines leads Bobby Bonilla in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or Bobby Bonilla hit more home runs?
- Harold Baines, with 384 to Bobby Bonilla's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Bonilla, with .829 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harold Baines, with .289 to Bobby Bonilla's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Bobby Bonilla's 2,010.