Mookie Betts vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice 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). Mookie Betts has played 2014–present as a hitter; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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
Mookie Betts (2014–present) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mookie Betts has 1,890 hits and 314 home runs through October 12, 2026; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Rice, with 382 to Mookie Betts's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mookie Betts, with .874 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Mookie Betts's .288.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Mookie Betts's 1,890.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Mookie Betts's 982.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Mookie Betts's 25,700.
- Who won more championships? Mookie Betts, with 4 World Series titles to Jim Rice's 0.
Mookie Betts
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mookie Betts and Jim Rice. 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, and the 2010s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Mookie Betts is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Mookie Betts | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,654 | Leads: 2,089 |
| At-Bats | 6,561 | Leads: 8,225 |
| Runs | 1,237 | Leads: 1,249 |
| Hits | 1,890 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 419 | 373 |
| Triples | 41 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | 314 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | 982 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 783 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 982 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 198 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .366 | .352 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .508 | .502 |
| OPS | Leads: .874 | .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice leads Mookie Betts 31,418 to 25,700 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Mookie Betts's 12, while Mookie Betts carries the higher per-season figure (2,142 to 1,964). 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).
Mookie Betts — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Rice leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Mookie Betts owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Rice. PIV agrees: Jim Rice grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mookie Betts and Jim Rice careers compare
Jim Rice (1974–1989) was finished before Mookie Betts (2014–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 1,654 games for Mookie Betts and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 12 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Mookie Betts struck out more than walked (982 to 783), and Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). On the bases, Mookie Betts stole more often per game played (198 steals in 1,654 games for Mookie Betts, 58 in 2,089 for Jim Rice). In on-base percentage, Mookie Betts holds the edge, .366 to .352. Mookie Betts's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Mookie Betts vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mookie Betts or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Mookie Betts in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mookie Betts or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Mookie Betts's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mookie Betts, with .874 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Mookie Betts's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Mookie Betts's 1,890.