Harold Baines vs Rod Carew: Career Stats Comparison
Harold Baines and Rod Carew are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Harold Baines played 1980–2001 as a hitter; Rod Carew played 1967–1985 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 Rod Carew (1967–1985) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 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 Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rod Carew, with .822 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Harold Baines's .289.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Harold Baines's 2,866.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to Rod Carew's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rod Carew, with 35,141 career PIV to Harold Baines's 25,497.
Harold Baines
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Rod Carew. 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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harold Baines | Rod Carew |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 2,469 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 9,315 |
| Runs | 1,299 | Leads: 1,424 |
| Hits | 2,866 | Leads: 3,053 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 445 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 112 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 384 | 92 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 1,015 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,062 | 1,018 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,028 |
| Stolen Bases | 34 | Leads: 353 |
| Batting Avg | .289 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .393 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .465 | .429 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .822 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rod Carew outpaces Harold Baines 35,141 to 25,497 — driven by per-season impact — 1,850 PIV per season to 944 — rather than by longevity, since Rod Carew played 19 seasons to Harold Baines's 27. 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
Rod Carew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rod Carew leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Harold Baines owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rod Carew. PIV agrees: Rod Carew 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 Rod Carew careers compare
From 1980 through 1985, Harold Baines and Rod Carew were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,830 games for Harold Baines and 2,469 for Rod Carew across 27 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062), and Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018). Home runs make up a larger share of Harold Baines's hits: 384 of 2,866 for Harold Baines, 92 of 3,053 for Rod Carew.
Harold Baines vs Rod Carew: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Harold Baines or Rod Carew hit more home runs?
- Harold Baines, with 384 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rod Carew, with .822 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Harold Baines's .289.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Harold Baines's 2,866.