Barry Bonds vs Jim Rice: 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; 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
Barry Bonds (1986–2007) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Bonds finished with 2,935 hits and 762 home runs; 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? Barry Bonds, with 762 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .298.
- Who had more hits? Barry Bonds, with 2,935 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Barry Bonds, with 1,996 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Bonds, with 96,025 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
Barry Bonds
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Bonds 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Bonds | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,986 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,847 | 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,227 | 1,249 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,935 | 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 601 | 373 |
| Triples | 77 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 762 | 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,996 | 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,558 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,539 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 514 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .298 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .444 | .352 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .607 | .502 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.051 | .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Bonds outpaces Jim Rice 96,025 to 31,418 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,365 PIV per season to 1,964, across 22 seasons to 16. 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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Bonds leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jim Rice owns 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 Jim Rice careers compare
Barry Bonds and Jim Rice were active at the same time between 1986 and 1989. With 2,986 games against 2,089 across 22 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jim Rice's edges on the table are triples (79 to 77) and batting average (.298 to .298). Plate discipline differs: Barry Bonds walked more often than struck out (2,558 walks, 1,539 strikeouts), but Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Barry Bonds is the more power-leaning hitter, with 762 of 2,935 hits leaving the park. Barry Bonds was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Barry Bonds vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Bonds or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Bonds leads Jim Rice in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Bonds or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Barry Bonds, with 762 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .298.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Bonds, with 2,935 to Jim Rice's 2,452.