Gary Carter vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Gary Carter finished with 2,092 hits and 324 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Gary Carter, with 324 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pete Rose, with .784 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Gary Carter's 2,092.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Gary Carter's 1,225.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Gary Carter's 14,141.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Gary Carter's 1.
Gary Carter
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Carter and Pete Rose. 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gary Carter | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,296 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 7,971 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,025 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,092 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 371 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 324 | 160 |
| RBI | 1,225 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 848 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 997 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .335 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .439 | .409 |
| OPS | .773 | Leads: .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Gary Carter 40,772 to 14,141 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 744, across 25 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).
Gary Carter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Gary Carter owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
From 1974 through 1986, Gary Carter and Pete Rose were in the majors together. Pete Rose has the far longer record, 3,562 games against 2,296 across 19 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Gary Carter comes out ahead, it is in home runs (324 to 160) and slugging percentage (.439 to .409). Plate discipline differs: Gary Carter struck out more than walked (997 to 848), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Gary Carter's hits: 324 of 2,092 for Gary Carter, 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose.
Gary Carter vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Carter or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Gary Carter in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gary Carter or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Gary Carter, with 324 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pete Rose, with .784 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Gary Carter's 2,092.