Roberto Clemente vs Sammy Sosa: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente and Sammy Sosa are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Sammy Sosa played 1989–2007 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 Sammy Sosa (1989–2007) — 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; Sammy Sosa finished with 2,408 hits and 609 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Sammy Sosa, with 609 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sammy Sosa, with .878 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Sammy Sosa's .273.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Sammy Sosa's 2,408.
- Who drove in more runs? Sammy Sosa, with 1,667 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Sammy Sosa's 30,009.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Sammy Sosa's 0.
Roberto Clemente
Sammy Sosa
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Sammy Sosa. 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 | Sammy Sosa |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,433 | 2,354 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 8,813 |
| Runs | 1,416 | Leads: 1,475 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,408 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 379 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 45 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 609 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,667 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 929 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 2,306 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 234 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .344 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .534 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente leads Sammy Sosa 34,131 to 30,009 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 1,579 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Sammy Sosa's 19. 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
Sammy Sosa — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sammy Sosa leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Roberto Clemente owns hits, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sammy Sosa. Note that PIV actually grades Roberto Clemente ahead, which means Sammy Sosa's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Sammy Sosa careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Roberto Clemente's ended in 1972, and Sammy Sosa debuted in 1989. With 2,433 games against 2,354 across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621); Sammy Sosa struck out more than walked (2,306 to 929). Sammy Sosa is the more power-leaning hitter, with 609 of 2,408 hits leaving the park. Sammy Sosa was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Roberto Clemente holds the edge, .359 to .344.
Roberto Clemente vs Sammy Sosa: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Roberto Clemente or Sammy Sosa hit more home runs?
- Sammy Sosa, with 609 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sammy Sosa, with .878 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Sammy Sosa's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Sammy Sosa's 2,408.