Ken Boyer vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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). Ken Boyer played 1955–1969 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Ken Boyer (1955–1969) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Boyer finished with 2,143 hits and 282 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Boyer, with 282 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Boyer, with .810 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Ken Boyer's 2,143.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Ken Boyer's 1,141.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Ken Boyer's 22,279.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Ken Boyer's 1.
Ken Boyer
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Boyer and Pete Rose. 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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Boyer | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,034 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 7,455 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,104 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,143 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 318 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 68 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 282 | 160 |
| RBI | 1,141 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 713 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,017 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 105 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .287 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .349 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .462 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .810 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Ken Boyer 40,772 to 22,279 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 1,311, across 25 seasons to 17. 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).
Ken Boyer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ken Boyer owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Boyer and Pete Rose careers compare
Ken Boyer and Pete Rose were active at the same time between 1963 and 1969. Pete Rose has the far longer record, 3,562 games against 2,034 across 17 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Ken Boyer's edges on the table are home runs (282 to 160), slugging percentage (.462 to .409), and OPS (.810 to .784). Plate discipline differs: Ken Boyer struck out more than walked (1,017 to 713), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Ken Boyer is the more power-leaning hitter, with 282 of 2,143 hits leaving the park.
Ken Boyer vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Boyer or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Ken Boyer in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Boyer or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Ken Boyer, with 282 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Boyer, with .810 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Ken Boyer's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Ken Boyer's 2,143.