Bobby Bonilla vs Andre Dawson: Career Stats Comparison
Andre Dawson 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 Bonilla played 1986–2001 as a hitter; Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 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 Bonilla (1986–2001) and Andre Dawson (1976–1996) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Bonilla finished with 2,010 hits and 287 home runs; Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Andre Dawson, with 438 to Bobby Bonilla's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Bonilla, with .829 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .279.
- Who had more hits? Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Bobby Bonilla's 2,010.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Bobby Bonilla's 1,173.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Andre Dawson, with 20,948 career PIV to Bobby Bonilla's 19,507.
- Who won more championships? Bobby Bonilla, with 1 World Series title to Andre Dawson's 0.
Bobby Bonilla
Andre Dawson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Bonilla and Andre Dawson. 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 | Bobby Bonilla | Andre Dawson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,113 | Leads: 2,627 |
| At-Bats | 7,213 | Leads: 9,927 |
| Runs | 1,084 | Leads: 1,373 |
| Hits | 2,010 | Leads: 2,774 |
| Doubles | 408 | Leads: 503 |
| Triples | 61 | Leads: 98 |
| Home Runs | 287 | Leads: 438 |
| RBI | 1,173 | Leads: 1,591 |
| Walks | Leads: 912 | 589 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,204 | 1,509 |
| Stolen Bases | 45 | Leads: 314 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .323 |
| Slugging % | .472 | Leads: .482 |
| OPS | Leads: .829 | .806 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Andre Dawson edges Bobby Bonilla 20,948 to 19,507 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Andre Dawson played 21 seasons to Bobby Bonilla's 19, while Bobby Bonilla carries the higher per-season figure (1,027 to 998). 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 Bonilla — top 3 seasons by OPS
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andre Dawson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Bonilla owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andre Dawson. PIV agrees: Andre Dawson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Bonilla and Andre Dawson careers compare
Bobby Bonilla and Andre Dawson were active at the same time between 1986 and 1996. The two careers are close in length, 2,113 games for Bobby Bonilla and 2,627 for Andre Dawson across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Bobby Bonilla are walks (912 to 589), on-base percentage (.358 to .323), and OPS (.829 to .806). At the plate, Bobby Bonilla struck out more than walked (1,204 to 912), and Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589).
Bobby Bonilla vs Andre Dawson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Bonilla or Andre Dawson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andre Dawson leads Bobby Bonilla in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Bonilla or Andre Dawson hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Bobby Bonilla's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Bonilla, with .829 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Bobby Bonilla's 2,010.