Roberto Clemente vs Brooks Robinson: 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; Brooks Robinson played 1955–1977 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 Brooks Robinson (1955–1977) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Brooks Robinson finished with 2,848 hits and 268 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Brooks Robinson, with 268 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Brooks Robinson's 2,848.
- Who drove in more runs? Brooks Robinson, with 1,357 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Brooks Robinson's 9,441.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Roberto Clemente
Brooks Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Brooks Robinson. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Brooks Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,433 | Leads: 2,896 |
| At-Bats | 9,454 | Leads: 10,654 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,232 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,848 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 482 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 68 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 268 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,357 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 860 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 990 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .322 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .401 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .723 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces Brooks Robinson 34,131 to 9,441 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 410 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Brooks Robinson'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
Brooks Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Brooks Robinson 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 Brooks Robinson careers compare
From 1955 through 1972, Roberto Clemente and Brooks Robinson were in the majors together. With 2,433 games against 2,896 across 18 and 23 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), and Brooks Robinson struck out more than walked (990 to 860). In slugging percentage, Roberto Clemente holds the edge, .475 to .401. On the peak-season lists, Roberto Clemente's best year is 1970 at .963 OPS and Brooks Robinson's is 1964 at .889 OPS; Roberto Clemente has the stronger single season.
Roberto Clemente vs Brooks Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Brooks Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Brooks Robinson in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Brooks Robinson hit more home runs?
- Brooks Robinson, with 268 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Brooks Robinson's 2,848.