Gary Carter vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Gary Carter played 1974–1992 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
Gary Carter (1974–1992) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Gary Carter finished with 2,092 hits and 324 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 Gary Carter's 324.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Gary Carter's 2,092.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Gary Carter's 1,225.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Gary Carter's 14,141.
- Who won more championships? Gary Carter, with 1 World Series title to Jim Rice's 0.
Gary Carter
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Carter 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gary Carter | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,296 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats | 7,971 | Leads: 8,225 |
| Runs | 1,025 | Leads: 1,249 |
| Hits | 2,092 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | 371 | Leads: 373 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | 324 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | 1,225 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 848 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 997 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 58 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | .335 | Leads: .352 |
| Slugging % | .439 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .773 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice outpaces Gary Carter 31,418 to 14,141 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 744 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Gary Carter'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).
Gary Carter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Rice leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Gary Carter owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Rice. PIV agrees: Jim Rice grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gary Carter and Jim Rice careers compare
The careers of Gary Carter (1974–1992) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) overlapped from 1974 to 1989, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,296 games for Gary Carter and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Gary Carter comes out ahead, it is in games (2,296 to 2,089) and walks (848 to 670). Gary Carter struck out more than walked (997 to 848); Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670).
Gary Carter vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Carter or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Gary Carter in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gary Carter or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Gary Carter's 324.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Gary Carter's 2,092.