Roberto Clemente vs Tony Perez: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente 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 Perez played 1964–1986 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
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Tony Perez (1964–1986) — 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; Tony Perez finished with 2,732 hits and 379 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Tony Perez, with 379 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Tony Perez's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Tony Perez's .279.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Tony Perez's 2,732.
- Who drove in more runs? Tony Perez, with 1,652 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Tony Perez's 28,896.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Roberto Clemente
Tony Perez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Tony Perez. 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 | Tony Perez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,433 | Leads: 2,777 |
| At-Bats | 9,454 | Leads: 9,778 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,272 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,732 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 505 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 79 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 379 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,652 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 925 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,867 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 49 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .341 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .463 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .804 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente leads Tony Perez 34,131 to 28,896 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 1,256 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Tony Perez's 23. 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 Perez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Tony Perez owns home runs and RBI. 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 Tony Perez careers compare
From 1964 through 1972, Roberto Clemente and Tony Perez were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 2,777 for Tony Perez across 18 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621); Tony Perez struck out more than walked (1,867 to 925). Home runs make up a larger share of Tony Perez's hits: 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente, 379 of 2,732 for Tony Perez. In on-base percentage, Roberto Clemente holds the edge, .359 to .341.
Roberto Clemente vs Tony Perez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Tony Perez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Tony Perez in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Tony Perez hit more home runs?
- Tony Perez, with 379 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Tony Perez's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Tony Perez's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Tony Perez's 2,732.