Rod Carew vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Rod Carew has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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 Jim Rice (1974–1989) — 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; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Rice, with 382 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Jim Rice's .298.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Rod Carew's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rod Carew, with 35,141 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rod Carew and Jim Rice. 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 | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,469 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,315 | 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,424 | 1,249 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,053 | 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 445 | 373 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 79 |
| Home Runs | 92 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,018 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,028 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 353 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .328 | .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .393 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rod Carew leads Jim Rice 35,141 to 31,418 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rod Carew played 19 seasons to Jim Rice's 16, while Jim Rice carries the higher per-season figure (1,964 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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rod Carew leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Jim Rice 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 Jim Rice careers compare
The careers of Rod Carew (1967–1985) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) overlapped from 1974 to 1985, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,469 games for Rod Carew and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Jim Rice are home runs (382 to 92), RBI (1,451 to 1,015), and slugging percentage (.502 to .429). Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018); Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670).
Rod Carew vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rod Carew or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rod Carew leads Jim Rice in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rod Carew or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Jim Rice's .298.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Jim Rice's 2,452.