Barry Bonds vs Roberto Clemente: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Bonds 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). Barry Bonds played 1986–2007 as a hitter; Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 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
Barry Bonds (1986–2007) and Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Bonds finished with 2,935 hits and 762 home runs; Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Barry Bonds, with 762 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Barry Bonds's .298.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Barry Bonds's 2,935.
- Who drove in more runs? Barry Bonds, with 1,996 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Bonds, with 96,025 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Barry Bonds's 0.
Barry Bonds
Roberto Clemente
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Bonds and Roberto Clemente. 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 1980s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Bonds | Roberto Clemente |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,986 | 2,433 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,847 | 9,454 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,227 | 1,416 |
| Hits | 2,935 | Leads: 3,000 |
| Doubles | Leads: 601 | 440 |
| Triples | 77 | Leads: 166 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 762 | 240 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,996 | 1,305 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,558 | 621 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,539 | 1,230 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 514 | 83 |
| Batting Avg | .298 | Leads: .317 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .444 | .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .607 | .475 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.051 | .834 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Bonds outpaces Roberto Clemente 96,025 to 34,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,365 PIV per season to 1,896, across 22 seasons to 18. 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).
Barry Bonds — top 3 seasons by OPS
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Bonds leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Roberto Clemente owns hits and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Barry Bonds. PIV agrees: Barry Bonds grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Barry Bonds and Roberto Clemente careers compare
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) was finished before Barry Bonds (1986–2007) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,986 games against 2,433 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Roberto Clemente comes out ahead, it is in hits (3,000 to 2,935), triples (166 to 77), and batting average (.317 to .298). Plate discipline differs: Barry Bonds walked more often than struck out (2,558 walks, 1,539 strikeouts), but Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621). Barry Bonds is the more power-leaning hitter, with 762 of 2,935 hits leaving the park.
Barry Bonds vs Roberto Clemente: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Bonds or Roberto Clemente?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Bonds leads Roberto Clemente in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Bonds or Roberto Clemente hit more home runs?
- Barry Bonds, with 762 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Barry Bonds's .298.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Barry Bonds's 2,935.