Jose Bautista vs Hunter Pence: Career Stats Comparison
Jose Bautista has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 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 Hunter Pence (2007–2020) — 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; Hunter Pence finished with 1,791 hits and 244 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 Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jose Bautista, with .836 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hunter Pence, with .279 to Jose Bautista's .247.
- Who had more hits? Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Jose Bautista's 1,496.
- Who drove in more runs? Jose Bautista, with 975 to Hunter Pence's 942.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Bautista, with 20,890 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Hunter Pence, with 2 World Series titles to Jose Bautista's 0.
Jose Bautista
Hunter Pence
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Bautista and Hunter Pence. 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 | Hunter Pence |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,798 | 1,707 |
| At-Bats | 6,051 | Leads: 6,420 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,022 | 891 |
| Hits | 1,496 | Leads: 1,791 |
| Doubles | 312 | Leads: 324 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 344 | 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 975 | 942 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,032 | 520 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,394 | 1,335 |
| Stolen Bases | 70 | Leads: 120 |
| Batting Avg | .247 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .361 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .461 |
| OPS | Leads: .836 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Bautista outpaces Hunter Pence 20,890 to 10,190 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 995 PIV per season to 637, across 21 seasons to 16. 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
Hunter Pence — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Bautista leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Hunter Pence 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 Hunter Pence careers compare
From 2007 through 2018, Jose Bautista and Hunter Pence were in the majors together. With 1,798 games against 1,707 across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jose Bautista struck out more than walked (1,394 to 1,032), and Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520). Home runs make up a larger share of Jose Bautista's hits: 344 of 1,496 for Jose Bautista, 244 of 1,791 for Hunter Pence. Hunter Pence was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Jose Bautista holds the edge, .361 to .334.
Jose Bautista vs Hunter Pence: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Bautista or Hunter Pence?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jose Bautista leads Hunter Pence in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Bautista or Hunter Pence hit more home runs?
- Jose Bautista, with 344 to Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jose Bautista, with .836 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hunter Pence, with .279 to Jose Bautista's .247.
- Who had more hits?
- Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Jose Bautista's 1,496.