Bobby Bonds vs Rico Carty: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby 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). Bobby Bonds played 1968–1981 as a hitter; Rico Carty played 1963–1979 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
Bobby Bonds (1968–1981) and Rico Carty (1963–1979) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bobby Bonds finished with 1,886 hits and 332 home runs; Rico Carty finished with 1,677 hits and 204 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bobby Bonds, with 332 to Rico Carty's 204.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rico Carty, with .833 to Bobby Bonds's .824.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rico Carty, with .299 to Bobby Bonds's .268.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Bonds, with 1,886 to Rico Carty's 1,677.
- Who drove in more runs? Bobby Bonds, with 1,024 to Rico Carty's 890.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Bonds, with 25,739 career PIV to Rico Carty's 21,612.
- Who won more championships? Rico Carty, with 1 World Series title to Bobby Bonds's 0.
Bobby Bonds
Rico Carty
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Bonds and Rico Carty. 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 | Bobby Bonds | Rico Carty |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,849 | 1,651 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,043 | 5,606 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,258 | 712 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,886 | 1,677 |
| Doubles | Leads: 302 | 278 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 17 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 332 | 204 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,024 | 890 |
| Walks | Leads: 914 | 642 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,757 | 663 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 461 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .268 | Leads: .299 |
| On-Base % | .353 | Leads: .369 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .471 | .464 |
| OPS | .824 | Leads: .833 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Bonds leads Rico Carty 25,739 to 21,612 — driven by per-season impact — 1,716 PIV per season to 1,201 — rather than by longevity, since Bobby Bonds played 15 seasons to Rico Carty's 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).
Bobby Bonds — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rico Carty — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Bonds leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Rico Carty owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Bonds. PIV agrees: Bobby Bonds grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Bonds and Rico Carty careers compare
Bobby Bonds and Rico Carty were active at the same time between 1968 and 1979. The two careers are close in length, 1,849 games for Bobby Bonds and 1,651 for Rico Carty across 15 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Rico Carty's edges on the table are batting average (.299 to .268), on-base percentage (.369 to .353), and OPS (.833 to .824). Bobby Bonds struck out more than walked (1,757 to 914); Rico Carty struck out more than walked (663 to 642). Bobby Bonds is the more power-leaning hitter, with 332 of 1,886 hits leaving the park. Bobby Bonds was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Bobby Bonds vs Rico Carty: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Bonds or Rico Carty?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bobby Bonds leads Rico Carty in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Bonds or Rico Carty hit more home runs?
- Bobby Bonds, with 332 to Rico Carty's 204.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rico Carty, with .833 to Bobby Bonds's .824.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rico Carty, with .299 to Bobby Bonds's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Bonds, with 1,886 to Rico Carty's 1,677.