Harold Baines vs Kenny Lofton: 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; Kenny Lofton played 1991–2007 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 Kenny Lofton (1991–2007) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; Kenny Lofton finished with 2,428 hits and 130 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 Kenny Lofton's 130.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harold Baines, with .820 to Kenny Lofton's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kenny Lofton, with .299 to Harold Baines's .289.
- Who had more hits? Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Kenny Lofton's 2,428.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to Kenny Lofton's 781.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harold Baines, with 25,497 career PIV to Kenny Lofton's 10,495.
Harold Baines
Kenny Lofton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Kenny Lofton. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harold Baines | Kenny Lofton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 2,103 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 8,120 |
| Runs | 1,299 | Leads: 1,528 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,866 | 2,428 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 383 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 116 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 384 | 130 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 781 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,062 | 945 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,016 |
| Stolen Bases | 34 | Leads: 622 |
| Batting Avg | .289 | Leads: .299 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .465 | .423 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harold Baines outpaces Kenny Lofton 25,497 to 10,495 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 944 PIV per season to 525, across 27 seasons to 20. 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
Kenny Lofton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harold Baines leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and OPS, while Kenny Lofton owns runs, stolen bases, and batting average. 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 Kenny Lofton careers compare
Harold Baines and Kenny Lofton were active at the same time between 1991 and 2001. The two careers are close in length, 2,830 games for Harold Baines and 2,103 for Kenny Lofton across 27 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062); Kenny Lofton struck out more than walked (1,016 to 945). Harold Baines is the more power-leaning hitter, with 384 of 2,866 hits leaving the park. Kenny Lofton was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Harold Baines's slugging percentage of .465 tops Kenny Lofton's .423.
Harold Baines vs Kenny Lofton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or Kenny Lofton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harold Baines leads Kenny Lofton in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or Kenny Lofton hit more home runs?
- Harold Baines, with 384 to Kenny Lofton's 130.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harold Baines, with .820 to Kenny Lofton's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kenny Lofton, with .299 to Harold Baines's .289.
- Who had more hits?
- Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Kenny Lofton's 2,428.