Sal Bando vs Rafael Devers: Career Stats Comparison
Sal Bando 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). Sal Bando played 1966–1981 as a hitter; Rafael Devers has played 2017–present 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
Sal Bando (1966–1981) and Rafael Devers (2017–present) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Sal Bando finished with 1,790 hits and 242 home runs; Rafael Devers has 1,359 hits and 272 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Devers, with 272 to Sal Bando's 242.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Devers, with .856 to Sal Bando's .760.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Devers, with .274 to Sal Bando's .254.
- Who had more hits? Sal Bando, with 1,790 to Rafael Devers's 1,359.
- Who drove in more runs? Sal Bando, with 1,039 to Rafael Devers's 845.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sal Bando, with 16,460 career PIV to Rafael Devers's 15,166.
- Who won more championships? Sal Bando, with 3 World Series titles to Rafael Devers's 1.
Sal Bando
Rafael Devers
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Sal Bando and Rafael Devers. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Rafael Devers is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Sal Bando | Rafael Devers |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,019 | 1,291 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,060 | 4,967 |
| Runs | Leads: 982 | 803 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,790 | 1,359 |
| Doubles | 289 | Leads: 324 |
| Triples | Leads: 38 | 13 |
| Home Runs | 242 | Leads: 272 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,039 | 845 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,031 | 539 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 923 | 1,247 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 75 | 33 |
| Batting Avg | .254 | Leads: .274 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .352 | .348 |
| Slugging % | .408 | Leads: .508 |
| OPS | .760 | Leads: .856 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sal Bando edges Rafael Devers 16,460 to 15,166 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Sal Bando played 16 seasons to Rafael Devers's 10, while Rafael Devers carries the higher per-season figure (1,517 to 1,029). 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).
Sal Bando — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Devers — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sal Bando leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Rafael Devers owns home runs, batting average, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sal Bando. PIV agrees: Sal Bando grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Sal Bando and Rafael Devers careers compare
Sal Bando (1966–1981) was finished before Rafael Devers (2017–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Sal Bando appeared in 2,019 games to Rafael Devers's 1,291. At the plate, Sal Bando walked more often than struck out (1,031 walks, 923 strikeouts), while Rafael Devers struck out more than walked (1,247 to 539). Rafael Devers is the more power-leaning hitter, with 272 of 1,359 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Sal Bando holds the edge, .352 to .348. Because Rafael Devers is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Sal Bando vs Rafael Devers: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sal Bando or Rafael Devers?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sal Bando leads Rafael Devers in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Sal Bando or Rafael Devers hit more home runs?
- Rafael Devers, with 272 to Sal Bando's 242.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Devers, with .856 to Sal Bando's .760.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Devers, with .274 to Sal Bando's .254.
- Who had more hits?
- Sal Bando, with 1,790 to Rafael Devers's 1,359.