Carlos Beltran vs Tim Salmon: Career Stats Comparison
Carlos Beltran has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Carlos Beltran played 1998–2017 as a hitter; Tim Salmon played 1992–2006 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
Carlos Beltran (1998–2017) and Tim Salmon (1992–2006) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Carlos Beltran finished with 2,725 hits and 435 home runs; Tim Salmon finished with 1,674 hits and 299 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carlos Beltran, with 435 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tim Salmon, with .884 to Carlos Beltran's .837.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tim Salmon, with .282 to Carlos Beltran's .279.
- Who had more hits? Carlos Beltran, with 2,725 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlos Beltran, with 1,587 to Tim Salmon's 1,016.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carlos Beltran, with 23,622 career PIV to Tim Salmon's 22,790.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Carlos Beltran
Tim Salmon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlos Beltran and Tim Salmon. 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 | Carlos Beltran | Tim Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,586 | 1,672 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,768 | 5,934 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,582 | 986 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,725 | 1,674 |
| Doubles | Leads: 565 | 339 |
| Triples | Leads: 78 | 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 435 | 299 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,587 | 1,016 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,084 | 970 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,795 | 1,360 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 312 | 48 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | .486 | Leads: .498 |
| OPS | .837 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carlos Beltran edges Tim Salmon 23,622 to 22,790 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Carlos Beltran played 23 seasons to Tim Salmon's 14, while Tim Salmon carries the higher per-season figure (1,628 to 1,027). 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).
Carlos Beltran — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tim Salmon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carlos Beltran leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Tim Salmon owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carlos Beltran. PIV agrees: Carlos Beltran grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlos Beltran and Tim Salmon careers compare
Carlos Beltran and Tim Salmon were active at the same time between 1998 and 2006. Carlos Beltran has the far longer record, 2,586 games against 1,672 across 23 and 14 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Tim Salmon's edges on the table are batting average (.282 to .279), on-base percentage (.385 to .350), and slugging percentage (.498 to .486). At the plate, Carlos Beltran struck out more than walked (1,795 to 1,084), and Tim Salmon struck out more than walked (1,360 to 970). On the bases, Carlos Beltran stole more often per game played (312 steals in 2,586 games for Carlos Beltran, 48 in 1,672 for Tim Salmon).
Carlos Beltran vs Tim Salmon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlos Beltran or Tim Salmon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carlos Beltran leads Tim Salmon in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlos Beltran or Tim Salmon hit more home runs?
- Carlos Beltran, with 435 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tim Salmon, with .884 to Carlos Beltran's .837.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tim Salmon, with .282 to Carlos Beltran's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Carlos Beltran, with 2,725 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.