Rod Carew vs Tim Raines: 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; Tim Raines played 1979–2002 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 Tim Raines (1979–2002) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 home runs; Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Tim Raines, with 170 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rod Carew, with .822 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Tim Raines's .294.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Tim Raines's 2,605.
- Who drove in more runs? Rod Carew, with 1,015 to Tim Raines's 980.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rod Carew, with 35,141 career PIV to Tim Raines's 25,763.
- Who won more championships? Tim Raines, with 2 World Series titles to Rod Carew's 0.
Tim Raines
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rod Carew and Tim Raines. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rod Carew | Tim Raines |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,469 | Leads: 2,502 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,315 | 8,872 |
| Runs | 1,424 | Leads: 1,571 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,053 | 2,605 |
| Doubles | Leads: 445 | 430 |
| Triples | 112 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | 92 | Leads: 170 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,015 | 980 |
| Walks | 1,018 | Leads: 1,330 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,028 | 966 |
| Stolen Bases | 353 | Leads: 808 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .328 | .294 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .393 | .385 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .429 | .425 |
| OPS | Leads: .822 | .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rod Carew outpaces Tim Raines 35,141 to 25,763 — driven by per-season impact — 1,850 PIV per season to 1,073 — rather than by longevity, since Rod Carew played 19 seasons to Tim Raines's 24. 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
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rod Carew leads in hits, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Tim Raines owns home runs, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Tim Raines careers compare
Rod Carew and Tim Raines were active at the same time between 1979 and 1985. The two careers are close in length, 2,469 games for Rod Carew and 2,502 for Tim Raines across 19 and 24 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018), but Tim Raines walked more often than struck out (1,330 walks, 966 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Tim Raines's hits: 92 of 3,053 for Rod Carew, 170 of 2,605 for Tim Raines.
Rod Carew vs Tim Raines: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rod Carew or Tim Raines?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rod Carew leads Tim Raines in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rod Carew or Tim Raines hit more home runs?
- Tim Raines, with 170 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rod Carew, with .822 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Tim Raines's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Tim Raines's 2,605.