Rod Carew vs Jimmie Foxx: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmie Foxx 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). Rod Carew played 1967–1985 as a hitter; Jimmie Foxx played 1925–1945 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 Jimmie Foxx (1925–1945) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 home runs; Jimmie Foxx finished with 2,646 hits and 534 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 534 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Jimmie Foxx's .325.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Jimmie Foxx's 2,646.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 1,922 to Rod Carew's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jimmie Foxx, with 72,872 career PIV to Rod Carew's 35,141.
- Who won more championships? Jimmie Foxx, with 2 World Series titles to Rod Carew's 0.
Jimmie Foxx
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rod Carew and Jimmie Foxx. 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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rod Carew | Jimmie Foxx |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,469 | 2,317 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,315 | 8,134 |
| Runs | 1,424 | Leads: 1,751 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,053 | 2,646 |
| Doubles | 445 | Leads: 458 |
| Triples | 112 | Leads: 125 |
| Home Runs | 92 | Leads: 534 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,922 |
| Walks | 1,018 | Leads: 1,452 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,028 | 1,311 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 353 | 87 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .328 | .325 |
| On-Base % | .393 | Leads: .428 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .609 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: 1.038 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jimmie Foxx outpaces Rod Carew 72,872 to 35,141 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,470 PIV per season to 1,850, across 21 seasons to 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).
Rod Carew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jimmie Foxx — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmie Foxx leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Rod Carew owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jimmie Foxx. PIV agrees: Jimmie Foxx 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 Jimmie Foxx careers compare
No season is shared: Jimmie Foxx played 1925–1945, Rod Carew 1967–1985. With 2,469 games against 2,317 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018), but Jimmie Foxx walked more often than struck out (1,452 walks, 1,311 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Jimmie Foxx's hits: 92 of 3,053 for Rod Carew, 534 of 2,646 for Jimmie Foxx. Rod Carew was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Jimmie Foxx holds the edge, .428 to .393.
Rod Carew vs Jimmie Foxx: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rod Carew or Jimmie Foxx?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmie Foxx leads Rod Carew in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rod Carew or Jimmie Foxx hit more home runs?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 534 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Jimmie Foxx's .325.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Jimmie Foxx's 2,646.