Jason Bay vs Michael Brantley: Career Stats Comparison
Jason Bay and Michael Brantley are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jason Bay played 2003–2013 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
Jason Bay (2003–2013) and Michael Brantley (2009–2023) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jason Bay finished with 1,200 hits and 222 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? Jason Bay, with 222 to Michael Brantley's 129.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jason Bay, with .841 to Michael Brantley's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Michael Brantley, with .298 to Jason Bay's .266.
- Who had more hits? Michael Brantley, with 1,656 to Jason Bay's 1,200.
- Who drove in more runs? Jason Bay, with 754 to Michael Brantley's 720.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jason Bay, with 12,505 career PIV to Michael Brantley's 11,049.
- Who won more championships? Michael Brantley, with 1 World Series title to Jason Bay's 0.
Michael Brantley
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jason Bay 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 | Jason Bay | Michael Brantley |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,278 | Leads: 1,445 |
| At-Bats | 4,505 | Leads: 5,566 |
| Runs | 737 | Leads: 758 |
| Hits | 1,200 | Leads: 1,656 |
| Doubles | 240 | Leads: 348 |
| Triples | Leads: 30 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 222 | 129 |
| RBI | Leads: 754 | 720 |
| Walks | Leads: 636 | 485 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,216 | 658 |
| Stolen Bases | 95 | Leads: 125 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .481 | .439 |
| OPS | Leads: .841 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jason Bay leads Michael Brantley 12,505 to 11,049 — driven by per-season impact — 962 PIV per season to 737 — rather than by longevity, since Jason Bay played 13 seasons to Michael Brantley's 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).
Jason Bay — top 3 seasons by OPS
Michael Brantley — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jason Bay leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Michael Brantley owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jason Bay. PIV agrees: Jason Bay grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jason Bay and Michael Brantley careers compare
Jason Bay and Michael Brantley were active at the same time between 2009 and 2013. With 1,278 games against 1,445 across 13 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jason Bay struck out more than walked (1,216 to 636), and Michael Brantley struck out more than walked (658 to 485). Home runs make up a larger share of Jason Bay's hits: 222 of 1,200 for Jason Bay, 129 of 1,656 for Michael Brantley. On the bases, Michael Brantley stole more often per game played (95 steals in 1,278 games for Jason Bay, 125 in 1,445 for Michael Brantley).
Jason Bay vs Michael Brantley: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Jason Bay or Michael Brantley hit more home runs?
- Jason Bay, with 222 to Michael Brantley's 129.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jason Bay, with .841 to Michael Brantley's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Michael Brantley, with .298 to Jason Bay's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Michael Brantley, with 1,656 to Jason Bay's 1,200.