Rod Carew vs Roberto Clemente: Career Stats Comparison
Rod Carew has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rod Carew played 1967–1985 as a hitter; Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 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
Rod Carew (1967–1985) and Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 home runs; Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Roberto Clemente, with 240 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Roberto Clemente's .317.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Rod Carew's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rod Carew, with 35,141 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Rod Carew's 0.
Roberto Clemente
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rod Carew and Roberto Clemente. 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 1960s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rod Carew | Roberto Clemente |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,469 | 2,433 |
| At-Bats | 9,315 | Leads: 9,454 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,424 | 1,416 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,053 | 3,000 |
| Doubles | Leads: 445 | 440 |
| Triples | 112 | Leads: 166 |
| Home Runs | 92 | Leads: 240 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,305 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,018 | 621 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,028 | 1,230 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 353 | 83 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .328 | .317 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .393 | .359 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .475 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: .834 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rod Carew edges Roberto Clemente 35,141 to 34,131 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rod Carew played 19 seasons to Roberto Clemente's 18, while Roberto Clemente carries the higher per-season figure (1,896 to 1,850). 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).
Rod Carew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rod Carew leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Roberto Clemente owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rod Carew. PIV agrees: Rod Carew grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rod Carew and Roberto Clemente careers compare
Rod Carew and Roberto Clemente were active at the same time between 1967 and 1972. With 2,469 games against 2,433 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018); Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621). Home runs make up a larger share of Roberto Clemente's hits: 92 of 3,053 for Rod Carew, 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente. Rod Carew was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Roberto Clemente's slugging percentage of .475 tops Rod Carew's .429.
Rod Carew vs Roberto Clemente: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rod Carew or Roberto Clemente?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rod Carew leads Roberto Clemente in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rod Carew or Roberto Clemente hit more home runs?
- Roberto Clemente, with 240 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Roberto Clemente's .317.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.