Rod Carew vs Joey Votto: Career Stats Comparison
Rod Carew and Joey Votto are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rod Carew played 1967–1985 as a hitter; Joey Votto played 2007–2023 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 Joey Votto (2007–2023) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 home runs; Joey Votto finished with 2,135 hits and 356 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joey Votto, with 356 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joey Votto, with .920 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Joey Votto's .294.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Joey Votto's 2,135.
- Who drove in more runs? Joey Votto, with 1,144 to Rod Carew's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joey Votto, with 43,852 career PIV to Rod Carew's 35,141.
Joey Votto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rod Carew and Joey Votto. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rod Carew | Joey Votto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,469 | 2,056 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,315 | 7,252 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,424 | 1,171 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,053 | 2,135 |
| Doubles | 445 | Leads: 459 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 22 |
| Home Runs | 92 | Leads: 356 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,144 |
| Walks | 1,018 | Leads: 1,365 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,028 | 1,640 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 353 | 80 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .328 | .294 |
| On-Base % | .393 | Leads: .409 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .511 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: .920 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joey Votto leads Rod Carew 43,852 to 35,141 — driven by per-season impact — 2,580 PIV per season to 1,850 — rather than by longevity, since Joey Votto played 17 seasons to Rod Carew'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).
Rod Carew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joey Votto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joey Votto leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Rod Carew owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joey Votto. PIV agrees: Joey Votto 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 Joey Votto careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rod Carew's ended in 1985, and Joey Votto debuted in 2007. With 2,469 games against 2,056 across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018), and Joey Votto struck out more than walked (1,640 to 1,365). Joey Votto is the more power-leaning hitter, with 356 of 2,135 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Rod Carew stole more often per game played (353 steals in 2,469 games for Rod Carew, 80 in 2,056 for Joey Votto). In slugging percentage, Joey Votto holds the edge, .511 to .429.
Rod Carew vs Joey Votto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Rod Carew or Joey Votto hit more home runs?
- Joey Votto, with 356 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joey Votto, with .920 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Joey Votto's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Joey Votto's 2,135.