Michael Brantley vs Hunter Pence: Career Stats Comparison
Hunter Pence 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). Michael Brantley played 2009–2023 as a hitter; Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 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
Michael Brantley (2009–2023) and Hunter Pence (2007–2020) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Michael Brantley finished with 1,656 hits and 129 home runs; Hunter Pence finished with 1,791 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hunter Pence, with 244 to Michael Brantley's 129.
- Who had the higher OPS? Neither — both are at .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Michael Brantley, with .298 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits? Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Michael Brantley's 1,656.
- Who drove in more runs? Hunter Pence, with 942 to Michael Brantley's 720.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Michael Brantley, with 11,049 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Hunter Pence, with 2 World Series titles to Michael Brantley's 1.
Michael Brantley
Hunter Pence
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Michael Brantley and Hunter Pence. 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 | Michael Brantley | Hunter Pence |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,445 | Leads: 1,707 |
| At-Bats | 5,566 | Leads: 6,420 |
| Runs | 758 | Leads: 891 |
| Hits | 1,656 | Leads: 1,791 |
| Doubles | Leads: 348 | 324 |
| Triples | 25 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 129 | Leads: 244 |
| RBI | 720 | Leads: 942 |
| Walks | 485 | Leads: 520 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 658 | 1,335 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 125 | 120 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .355 | .334 |
| Slugging % | .439 | Leads: .461 |
| OPS | .794 | Leads: .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Michael Brantley edges Hunter Pence 11,049 to 10,190 — driven by per-season impact — 737 PIV per season to 637 — rather than by longevity, since Michael Brantley played 15 seasons to Hunter Pence's 16. 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).
Michael Brantley — top 3 seasons by OPS
Hunter Pence — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hunter Pence leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Michael Brantley owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hunter Pence. Note that PIV actually grades Michael Brantley ahead, which means Hunter Pence's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Michael Brantley and Hunter Pence careers compare
From 2009 through 2020, Michael Brantley and Hunter Pence were in the majors together. With 1,445 games against 1,707 across 15 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Michael Brantley's edges on the table are doubles (348 to 324), stolen bases (125 to 120), and batting average (.298 to .279). Michael Brantley struck out more than walked (658 to 485); Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520). Home runs make up a larger share of Hunter Pence's hits: 129 of 1,656 for Michael Brantley, 244 of 1,791 for Hunter Pence.
Michael Brantley vs Hunter Pence: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Michael Brantley or Hunter Pence?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hunter Pence leads Michael Brantley in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Michael Brantley or Hunter Pence hit more home runs?
- Hunter Pence, with 244 to Michael Brantley's 129.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Neither — both are at .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Michael Brantley, with .298 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Michael Brantley's 1,656.