Roberto Clemente vs Tony Gwynn: Career Stats Comparison
Tony Gwynn has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Tony Gwynn played 1982–2001 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
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Tony Gwynn (1982–2001) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Tony Gwynn finished with 3,141 hits and 135 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Roberto Clemente, with 240 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tony Gwynn, with .847 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Roberto Clemente's .317.
- Who had more hits? Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Tony Gwynn's 1,138.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Tony Gwynn's 30,602.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Tony Gwynn's 0.
Roberto Clemente
Tony Gwynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Tony Gwynn. 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 1950s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Tony Gwynn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,433 | Leads: 2,440 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 9,288 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,383 |
| Hits | 3,000 | Leads: 3,141 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 543 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 85 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 240 | 135 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 1,138 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 790 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 434 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 319 |
| Batting Avg | .317 | Leads: .338 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .459 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente leads Tony Gwynn 34,131 to 30,602 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 1,530 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Tony Gwynn's 20. 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).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tony Gwynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tony Gwynn leads in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Roberto Clemente owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tony Gwynn. Note that PIV actually grades Roberto Clemente ahead, which means Tony Gwynn's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Tony Gwynn careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Roberto Clemente's ended in 1972, and Tony Gwynn debuted in 1982. With 2,433 games against 2,440 across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), while Tony Gwynn walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 434 strikeouts). Roberto Clemente is the more power-leaning hitter, with 240 of 3,000 hits leaving the park. Tony Gwynn was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Roberto Clemente holds the edge, .475 to .459.
Roberto Clemente vs Tony Gwynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Tony Gwynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tony Gwynn leads Roberto Clemente in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Tony Gwynn hit more home runs?
- Roberto Clemente, with 240 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tony Gwynn, with .847 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Roberto Clemente's .317.
- Who had more hits?
- Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.