Barry Bonds vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Bonds 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). Barry Bonds played 1986–2007 as a hitter; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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 Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — 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; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 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 Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Bonds, with .298 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Barry Bonds's 2,935.
- Who drove in more runs? Barry Bonds, with 1,996 to Cal Ripken's 1,695.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Bonds, with 96,025 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Cal Ripken, with 1 World Series title to Barry Bonds's 0.
Barry Bonds
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Bonds and Cal Ripken. 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 | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,986 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 9,847 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,227 | 1,647 |
| Hits | 2,935 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 601 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | Leads: 77 | 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 762 | 431 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,996 | 1,695 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,558 | 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,539 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 514 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .444 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .607 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.051 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Bonds outpaces Cal Ripken 96,025 to 19,199 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,365 PIV per season to 914, across 22 seasons to 21. 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
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Bonds leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Cal Ripken 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 Cal Ripken careers compare
From 1986 through 2001, Barry Bonds and Cal Ripken were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,986 games for Barry Bonds and 3,001 for Cal Ripken across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Cal Ripken comes out ahead, it is in games (3,001 to 2,986), at-bats (11,551 to 9,847), and hits (3,184 to 2,935). Plate discipline differs: Barry Bonds walked more often than struck out (2,558 walks, 1,539 strikeouts), but Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129).
Barry Bonds vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Bonds or Cal Ripken?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Bonds leads Cal Ripken in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Bonds or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Barry Bonds, with 762 to Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Bonds, with .298 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Barry Bonds's 2,935.