Roberto Clemente vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — 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; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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 Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Pete Rose's .303.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Roberto Clemente's 2.
Roberto Clemente
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Pete Rose. 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 | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,433 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 9,454 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,416 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 3,000 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 240 | 160 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .303 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose leads Roberto Clemente 40,772 to 34,131 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Pete Rose played 25 seasons to Roberto Clemente's 18, while Roberto Clemente carries the higher per-season figure (1,896 to 1,631). 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Roberto Clemente owns home runs, batting average, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
Roberto Clemente and Pete Rose were active at the same time between 1963 and 1972. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 3,562 for Pete Rose across 18 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Roberto Clemente is the more power-leaning hitter, with 240 of 3,000 hits leaving the park. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Roberto Clemente's slugging percentage of .475 tops Pete Rose's .409.
Roberto Clemente vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Roberto Clemente in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Roberto Clemente, with 240 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Pete Rose's .303.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.