Jose Bautista vs Michael Brantley: Career Stats Comparison
Jose Bautista 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). Jose Bautista played 2004–2018 as a hitter; Michael Brantley played 2009–2023 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
Jose Bautista (2004–2018) and Michael Brantley (2009–2023) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jose Bautista finished with 1,496 hits and 344 home runs; Michael Brantley finished with 1,656 hits and 129 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jose Bautista, with 344 to Michael Brantley's 129.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jose Bautista, with .836 to Michael Brantley's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Michael Brantley, with .298 to Jose Bautista's .247.
- Who had more hits? Michael Brantley, with 1,656 to Jose Bautista's 1,496.
- Who drove in more runs? Jose Bautista, with 975 to Michael Brantley's 720.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Bautista, with 20,890 career PIV to Michael Brantley's 11,049.
- Who won more championships? Michael Brantley, with 1 World Series title to Jose Bautista's 0.
Jose Bautista
Michael Brantley
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Bautista and Michael Brantley. 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 | Jose Bautista | Michael Brantley |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,798 | 1,445 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,051 | 5,566 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,022 | 758 |
| Hits | 1,496 | Leads: 1,656 |
| Doubles | 312 | Leads: 348 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 344 | 129 |
| RBI | Leads: 975 | 720 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,032 | 485 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,394 | 658 |
| Stolen Bases | 70 | Leads: 125 |
| Batting Avg | .247 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .361 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .439 |
| OPS | Leads: .836 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Bautista outpaces Michael Brantley 20,890 to 11,049 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 995 PIV per season to 737, across 21 seasons to 15. 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).
Jose Bautista — top 3 seasons by OPS
Michael Brantley — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Bautista leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Michael Brantley owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jose Bautista. PIV agrees: Jose Bautista grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jose Bautista and Michael Brantley careers compare
From 2009 through 2018, Jose Bautista and Michael Brantley were in the majors together. With 1,798 games against 1,445 across 21 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jose Bautista struck out more than walked (1,394 to 1,032); Michael Brantley struck out more than walked (658 to 485). Jose Bautista is the more power-leaning hitter, with 344 of 1,496 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Michael Brantley stole more often per game played (70 steals in 1,798 games for Jose Bautista, 125 in 1,445 for Michael Brantley). Jose Bautista's slugging percentage of .475 tops Michael Brantley's .439.
Jose Bautista vs Michael Brantley: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Bautista or Michael Brantley?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jose Bautista leads Michael Brantley in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Bautista or Michael Brantley hit more home runs?
- Jose Bautista, with 344 to Michael Brantley's 129.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jose Bautista, with .836 to Michael Brantley's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Michael Brantley, with .298 to Jose Bautista's .247.
- Who had more hits?
- Michael Brantley, with 1,656 to Jose Bautista's 1,496.