Ryan Braun vs Matt Kemp: Career Stats Comparison
Ryan Braun has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ryan Braun played 2007–2020 as a hitter; Matt Kemp played 2006–2020 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
Ryan Braun (2007–2020) and Matt Kemp (2006–2020) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ryan Braun finished with 1,963 hits and 352 home runs; Matt Kemp finished with 1,808 hits and 287 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ryan Braun, with 352 to Matt Kemp's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Braun, with .891 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ryan Braun, with .296 to Matt Kemp's .284.
- Who had more hits? Ryan Braun, with 1,963 to Matt Kemp's 1,808.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Braun, with 1,154 to Matt Kemp's 1,031.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ryan Braun, with 27,762 career PIV to Matt Kemp's 14,253.
Ryan Braun
Matt Kemp
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Braun and Matt Kemp. 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 | Ryan Braun | Matt Kemp |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,766 | 1,750 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,622 | 6,365 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,080 | 950 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,963 | 1,808 |
| Doubles | Leads: 408 | 338 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 37 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 352 | 287 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,154 | 1,031 |
| Walks | Leads: 586 | 518 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,363 | 1,641 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 216 | 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .532 | .484 |
| OPS | Leads: .891 | .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Braun outpaces Matt Kemp 27,762 to 14,253 — driven by per-season impact — 1,983 PIV per season to 891 — rather than by longevity, since Ryan Braun played 14 seasons to Matt Kemp'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).
Ryan Braun — top 3 seasons by OPS
Matt Kemp — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ryan Braun leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Matt Kemp owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ryan Braun. PIV agrees: Ryan Braun grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ryan Braun and Matt Kemp careers compare
Ryan Braun and Matt Kemp were active at the same time between 2007 and 2020. With 1,766 games against 1,750 across 14 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ryan Braun leads every scored row of the table. Ryan Braun struck out more than walked (1,363 to 586); Matt Kemp struck out more than walked (1,641 to 518). On the bases, Ryan Braun stole more often per game played (216 steals in 1,766 games for Ryan Braun, 184 in 1,750 for Matt Kemp). Best seasons: 2007 for Ryan Braun (1.004 OPS, 34 HR, 97 RBI, .324 avg) and 2011 for Matt Kemp (.986 OPS, 39 HR, 126 RBI, .324 avg).
Ryan Braun vs Matt Kemp: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Braun or Matt Kemp?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ryan Braun leads Matt Kemp in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Braun or Matt Kemp hit more home runs?
- Ryan Braun, with 352 to Matt Kemp's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Braun, with .891 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ryan Braun, with .296 to Matt Kemp's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ryan Braun, with 1,963 to Matt Kemp's 1,808.