George Bell vs Bobby Bonilla: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Bonilla has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). George Bell played 1981–1993 as a hitter; Bobby Bonilla played 1986–2001 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
George Bell (1981–1993) and Bobby Bonilla (1986–2001) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. George Bell finished with 1,702 hits and 265 home runs; Bobby Bonilla finished with 2,010 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? Bobby Bonilla, with 287 to George Bell's 265.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Bonilla, with .829 to George Bell's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Bonilla, with .279 to George Bell's .278.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Bonilla, with 2,010 to George Bell's 1,702.
- Who drove in more runs? Bobby Bonilla, with 1,173 to George Bell's 1,002.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Bonilla, with 19,507 career PIV to George Bell's 10,532.
- Who won more championships? Bobby Bonilla, with 1 World Series title to George Bell's 0.
George Bell
Bobby Bonilla
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Bell and Bobby Bonilla. 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 | George Bell | Bobby Bonilla |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,587 | Leads: 2,113 |
| At-Bats | 6,123 | Leads: 7,213 |
| Runs | 814 | Leads: 1,084 |
| Hits | 1,702 | Leads: 2,010 |
| Doubles | 308 | Leads: 408 |
| Triples | 34 | Leads: 61 |
| Home Runs | 265 | Leads: 287 |
| RBI | 1,002 | Leads: 1,173 |
| Walks | 331 | Leads: 912 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 771 | 1,204 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 67 | 45 |
| Batting Avg | .278 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | .316 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .469 | Leads: .472 |
| OPS | .785 | Leads: .829 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Bonilla outpaces George Bell 19,507 to 10,532 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,027 PIV per season to 878, across 19 seasons to 12. 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).
George Bell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bobby Bonilla — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Bonilla leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Bell owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Bonilla. PIV agrees: Bobby Bonilla grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Bell and Bobby Bonilla careers compare
From 1986 through 1993, George Bell and Bobby Bonilla were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,587 games for George Bell and 2,113 for Bobby Bonilla across 12 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where George Bell comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (67 to 45). George Bell struck out more than walked (771 to 331); Bobby Bonilla struck out more than walked (1,204 to 912). In on-base percentage, Bobby Bonilla holds the edge, .358 to .316.
George Bell vs Bobby Bonilla: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Bell or Bobby Bonilla?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bobby Bonilla leads George Bell in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Bell or Bobby Bonilla hit more home runs?
- Bobby Bonilla, with 287 to George Bell's 265.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Bonilla, with .829 to George Bell's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Bonilla, with .279 to George Bell's .278.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Bonilla, with 2,010 to George Bell's 1,702.