Jason Bay vs Matt Kemp: Career Stats Comparison
Matt Kemp has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jason Bay played 2003–2013 as a hitter; Matt Kemp played 2006–2020 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
Jason Bay (2003–2013) and Matt Kemp (2006–2020) — 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; Matt Kemp finished with 1,808 hits and 287 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Kemp, with 287 to Jason Bay's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jason Bay, with .841 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Matt Kemp, with .284 to Jason Bay's .266.
- Who had more hits? Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Jason Bay's 1,200.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Kemp, with 1,031 to Jason Bay's 754.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Matt Kemp, with 14,253 career PIV to Jason Bay's 12,505.
Matt Kemp
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jason Bay and Matt Kemp. 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 | Matt Kemp |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,278 | Leads: 1,750 |
| At-Bats | 4,505 | Leads: 6,365 |
| Runs | 737 | Leads: 950 |
| Hits | 1,200 | Leads: 1,808 |
| Doubles | 240 | Leads: 338 |
| Triples | 30 | Leads: 37 |
| Home Runs | 222 | Leads: 287 |
| RBI | 754 | Leads: 1,031 |
| Walks | Leads: 636 | 518 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,216 | 1,641 |
| Stolen Bases | 95 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .337 |
| Slugging % | .481 | Leads: .484 |
| OPS | Leads: .841 | .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Matt Kemp leads Jason Bay 14,253 to 12,505 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Matt Kemp played 16 seasons to Jason Bay's 13, while Jason Bay carries the higher per-season figure (962 to 891). 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
Matt Kemp — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Matt Kemp leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jason Bay owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Matt Kemp. PIV agrees: Matt Kemp 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 Matt Kemp careers compare
From 2006 through 2013, Jason Bay and Matt Kemp were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,278 games for Jason Bay and 1,750 for Matt Kemp across 13 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Jason Bay are walks (636 to 518), on-base percentage (.360 to .337), and OPS (.841 to .821). At the plate, Jason Bay struck out more than walked (1,216 to 636), and Matt Kemp struck out more than walked (1,641 to 518). On the bases, Matt Kemp stole more often per game played (95 steals in 1,278 games for Jason Bay, 184 in 1,750 for Matt Kemp).
Jason Bay vs Matt Kemp: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jason Bay or Matt Kemp?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Matt Kemp leads Jason Bay in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jason Bay or Matt Kemp hit more home runs?
- Matt Kemp, with 287 to Jason Bay's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jason Bay, with .841 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Matt Kemp, with .284 to Jason Bay's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Jason Bay's 1,200.