Jose Canseco vs Chili Davis: Career Stats Comparison
Chili Davis has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jose Canseco played 1985–2001 as a hitter; Chili Davis played 1981–1999 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
Jose Canseco (1985–2001) and Chili Davis (1981–1999) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jose Canseco finished with 1,877 hits and 462 home runs; Chili Davis finished with 2,380 hits and 350 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jose Canseco, with 462 to Chili Davis's 350.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jose Canseco, with .867 to Chili Davis's .811.
- Who had the higher batting average? Chili Davis, with .274 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits? Chili Davis, with 2,380 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.
- Who drove in more runs? Jose Canseco, with 1,407 to Chili Davis's 1,372.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Canseco, with 24,754 career PIV to Chili Davis's 21,833.
- Who won more championships? Chili Davis, with 3 World Series titles to Jose Canseco's 2.
Jose Canseco
Chili Davis
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Canseco and Chili Davis. 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 | Jose Canseco | Chili Davis |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,887 | Leads: 2,436 |
| At-Bats | 7,057 | Leads: 8,673 |
| Runs | 1,186 | Leads: 1,240 |
| Hits | 1,877 | Leads: 2,380 |
| Doubles | 340 | Leads: 424 |
| Triples | 14 | Leads: 30 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 462 | 350 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,407 | 1,372 |
| Walks | 906 | Leads: 1,194 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,942 | 1,698 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 200 | 142 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .274 |
| On-Base % | .353 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .451 |
| OPS | Leads: .867 | .811 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Canseco leads Chili Davis 24,754 to 21,833 — driven by per-season impact — 1,303 PIV per season to 1,149 — rather than by longevity, since Jose Canseco played 19 seasons to Chili Davis's 19. 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).
Jose Canseco — top 3 seasons by OPS
Chili Davis — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Canseco leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and OPS, while Chili Davis owns hits, runs, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jose Canseco. PIV agrees: Jose Canseco grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jose Canseco and Chili Davis careers compare
Jose Canseco and Chili Davis were active at the same time between 1985 and 1999. The two careers are close in length, 1,887 games for Jose Canseco and 2,436 for Chili Davis across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jose Canseco struck out more than walked (1,942 to 906); Chili Davis struck out more than walked (1,698 to 1,194). Jose Canseco is the more power-leaning hitter, with 462 of 1,877 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Jose Canseco stole more often per game played (200 steals in 1,887 games for Jose Canseco, 142 in 2,436 for Chili Davis).
Jose Canseco vs Chili Davis: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Canseco or Chili Davis?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chili Davis leads Jose Canseco in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Canseco or Chili Davis hit more home runs?
- Jose Canseco, with 462 to Chili Davis's 350.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jose Canseco, with .867 to Chili Davis's .811.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Chili Davis, with .274 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Chili Davis, with 2,380 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.