Bobby Bonilla vs Kevin Mitchell: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Bonilla 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). Bobby Bonilla played 1986–2001 as a hitter; Kevin Mitchell played 1984–1998 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 Kevin Mitchell (1984–1998) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bobby Bonilla finished with 2,010 hits and 287 home runs; Kevin Mitchell finished with 1,173 hits and 234 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bobby Bonilla, with 287 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Bobby Bonilla's .829.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kevin Mitchell, with .284 to Bobby Bonilla's .279.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Bonilla, with 2,010 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.
- Who drove in more runs? Bobby Bonilla, with 1,173 to Kevin Mitchell's 760.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Bonilla, with 19,507 career PIV to Kevin Mitchell's 17,577.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Bobby Bonilla
Kevin Mitchell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Bonilla and Kevin Mitchell. 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 Bonilla | Kevin Mitchell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,113 | 1,223 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,213 | 4,134 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,084 | 630 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,010 | 1,173 |
| Doubles | Leads: 408 | 224 |
| Triples | Leads: 61 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 287 | 234 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,173 | 760 |
| Walks | Leads: 912 | 491 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,204 | 719 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 45 | 30 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .284 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .472 | Leads: .520 |
| OPS | .829 | Leads: .880 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Bonilla leads Kevin Mitchell 19,507 to 17,577 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Bobby Bonilla played 19 seasons to Kevin Mitchell's 15, while Kevin Mitchell carries the higher per-season figure (1,172 to 1,027). 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
Kevin Mitchell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Bonilla leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Kevin Mitchell owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Bonilla. PIV agrees: Bobby Bonilla 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 Kevin Mitchell careers compare
Bobby Bonilla and Kevin Mitchell were active at the same time between 1986 and 1998. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Bobby Bonilla appeared in 2,113 games to Kevin Mitchell's 1,223. Kevin Mitchell's edges on the table are batting average (.284 to .279), on-base percentage (.360 to .358), and slugging percentage (.520 to .472). At the plate, Bobby Bonilla struck out more than walked (1,204 to 912), and Kevin Mitchell struck out more than walked (719 to 491). Kevin Mitchell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 234 of 1,173 hits leaving the park. Kevin Mitchell's slugging percentage of .520 tops Bobby Bonilla's .472.
Bobby Bonilla vs Kevin Mitchell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Bonilla or Kevin Mitchell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bobby Bonilla leads Kevin Mitchell in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Bonilla or Kevin Mitchell hit more home runs?
- Bobby Bonilla, with 287 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Bobby Bonilla's .829.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kevin Mitchell, with .284 to Bobby Bonilla's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Bonilla, with 2,010 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.