Roberto Clemente vs Al Oliver: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Al Oliver played 1968–1985 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 Al Oliver (1968–1985) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Al Oliver finished with 2,743 hits and 219 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 Al Oliver's 219.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Al Oliver's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Al Oliver's .303.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Al Oliver's 2,743.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Oliver, with 1,326 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Al Oliver's 21,212.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Al Oliver's 1.
Roberto Clemente
Al Oliver
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Al Oliver. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Al Oliver |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,433 | 2,368 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 9,049 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,189 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,743 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 529 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 77 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 240 | 219 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,326 |
| Walks | Leads: 621 | 535 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 756 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 84 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .344 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .451 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .795 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces Al Oliver 34,131 to 21,212 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 1,061 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Al Oliver'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
Al Oliver — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, home runs, runs, and batting average, while Al Oliver owns RBI and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roberto Clemente. PIV agrees: Roberto Clemente grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Al Oliver careers compare
From 1968 through 1972, Roberto Clemente and Al Oliver were in the majors together. With 2,433 games against 2,368 across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Al Oliver are doubles (529 to 440), RBI (1,326 to 1,305), and stolen bases (84 to 83). Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621); Al Oliver struck out more than walked (756 to 535). Roberto Clemente's slugging percentage of .475 tops Al Oliver's .451. On the peak-season lists, Roberto Clemente's best year is 1970 at .963 OPS and Al Oliver's is 1982 at .906 OPS; Roberto Clemente has the stronger single season.
Roberto Clemente vs Al Oliver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Al Oliver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Al Oliver in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Al Oliver hit more home runs?
- Roberto Clemente, with 240 to Al Oliver's 219.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Al Oliver's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Al Oliver's .303.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Al Oliver's 2,743.