Barry Bonds vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Bonds has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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 Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Barry Bonds finished with 2,935 hits and 762 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 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 Rafael Palmeiro's 569.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Bonds, with .298 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Barry Bonds's 2,935.
- Who drove in more runs? Barry Bonds, with 1,996 to Rafael Palmeiro's 1,835.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Bonds, with 96,025 career PIV to Rafael Palmeiro's 42,814.
Barry Bonds
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 | Barry Bonds | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,986 | 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 9,847 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,227 | 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,935 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 601 | 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 77 | 38 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 762 | 569 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,996 | 1,835 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,558 | 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,539 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 514 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .444 | .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .607 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.051 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Bonds outpaces Rafael Palmeiro 96,025 to 42,814 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,365 PIV per season to 2,141, across 22 seasons to 20. 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
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Bonds leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Rafael Palmeiro owns hits. 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 Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro were active at the same time between 1986 and 2005. The two careers are close in length, 2,986 games for Barry Bonds and 2,831 for Rafael Palmeiro across 22 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Rafael Palmeiro comes out ahead, it is in at-bats (10,472 to 9,847) and hits (3,020 to 2,935). At the plate, Barry Bonds walked more often than struck out (2,558 walks, 1,539 strikeouts), and Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Barry Bonds is the more power-leaning hitter, with 762 of 2,935 hits leaving the park.
Barry Bonds vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Bonds or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Bonds leads Rafael Palmeiro in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Bonds or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Barry Bonds, with 762 to Rafael Palmeiro's 569.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Bonds, with .298 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Barry Bonds's 2,935.