Jack Clark vs Sammy Sosa: Career Stats Comparison
Sammy Sosa 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). Jack Clark played 1975–1992 as a hitter; Sammy Sosa played 1989–2007 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
Jack Clark (1975–1992) and Sammy Sosa (1989–2007) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jack Clark finished with 1,826 hits and 340 home runs; Sammy Sosa finished with 2,408 hits and 609 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Sammy Sosa, with 609 to Jack Clark's 340.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sammy Sosa, with .878 to Jack Clark's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Sammy Sosa, with .273 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits? Sammy Sosa, with 2,408 to Jack Clark's 1,826.
- Who drove in more runs? Sammy Sosa, with 1,667 to Jack Clark's 1,180.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jack Clark, with 30,243 career PIV to Sammy Sosa's 30,009.
Jack Clark
Sammy Sosa
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jack Clark and Sammy Sosa. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jack Clark | Sammy Sosa |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,994 | Leads: 2,354 |
| At-Bats | 6,847 | Leads: 8,813 |
| Runs | 1,118 | Leads: 1,475 |
| Hits | 1,826 | Leads: 2,408 |
| Doubles | 332 | Leads: 379 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 45 |
| Home Runs | 340 | Leads: 609 |
| RBI | 1,180 | Leads: 1,667 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,262 | 929 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 2,306 |
| Stolen Bases | 77 | Leads: 234 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .379 | .344 |
| Slugging % | .476 | Leads: .534 |
| OPS | .854 | Leads: .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jack Clark edges Sammy Sosa 30,243 to 30,009 — driven by per-season impact — 1,680 PIV per season to 1,579 — rather than by longevity, since Jack Clark played 18 seasons to Sammy Sosa'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).
Jack Clark — top 3 seasons by OPS
Sammy Sosa — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sammy Sosa leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jack Clark owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sammy Sosa. Note that PIV actually grades Jack Clark ahead, which means Sammy Sosa's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jack Clark and Sammy Sosa careers compare
From 1989 through 1992, Jack Clark and Sammy Sosa were in the majors together. With 1,994 games against 2,354 across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jack Clark's edges on the table are walks (1,262 to 929) and on-base percentage (.379 to .344). Jack Clark struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,262); Sammy Sosa struck out more than walked (2,306 to 929). Sammy Sosa is the more power-leaning hitter, with 609 of 2,408 hits leaving the park. Sammy Sosa was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Jack Clark holds the edge, .379 to .344.
Jack Clark vs Sammy Sosa: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack Clark or Sammy Sosa?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sammy Sosa leads Jack Clark in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jack Clark or Sammy Sosa hit more home runs?
- Sammy Sosa, with 609 to Jack Clark's 340.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sammy Sosa, with .878 to Jack Clark's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Sammy Sosa, with .273 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Sammy Sosa, with 2,408 to Jack Clark's 1,826.