Andre Dawson vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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
Andre Dawson (1976–1996) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Andre Dawson's 438.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Andre Dawson's 1,591.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Andre Dawson's 20,948.
Andre Dawson
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Andre Dawson and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Andre Dawson | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,627 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 9,927 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,373 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,774 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 503 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 438 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,591 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 589 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,509 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 314 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .288 |
| On-Base % | .323 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | .482 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Andre Dawson 42,814 to 20,948 — driven by per-season impact — 2,141 PIV per season to 998 — rather than by longevity, since Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons to Andre Dawson's 21. 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).
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Andre Dawson owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Andre Dawson and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
From 1986 through 1996, Andre Dawson and Rafael Palmeiro were in the majors together. With 2,627 games against 2,831 across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Andre Dawson comes out ahead, it is in triples (98 to 38) and stolen bases (314 to 97). At the plate, Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). On the bases, Andre Dawson stole more often per game played (314 steals in 2,627 games for Andre Dawson, 97 in 2,831 for Rafael Palmeiro).
Andre Dawson vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andre Dawson or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Andre Dawson in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Andre Dawson or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Andre Dawson's 438.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.