Andre Dawson vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Andre Dawson 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). Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 as a hitter; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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 Jim Rice (1974–1989) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Andre Dawson, with 438 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Andre Dawson's 20,948.
Andre Dawson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Andre Dawson and Jim Rice. 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 | Andre Dawson | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,627 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,927 | 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,373 | 1,249 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,774 | 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 503 | 373 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 438 | 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,591 | 1,451 |
| Walks | 589 | Leads: 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,509 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 314 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | .323 | Leads: .352 |
| Slugging % | .482 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice outpaces Andre Dawson 31,418 to 20,948 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 998 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andre Dawson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jim Rice owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andre Dawson. Note that PIV actually grades Jim Rice ahead, which means Andre Dawson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Andre Dawson and Jim Rice careers compare
Andre Dawson and Jim Rice were active at the same time between 1976 and 1989. The two careers are close in length, 2,627 games for Andre Dawson and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589); Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). On the bases, Andre Dawson stole more often per game played (314 steals in 2,627 games for Andre Dawson, 58 in 2,089 for Jim Rice).
Andre Dawson vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andre Dawson or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andre Dawson leads Jim Rice in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Andre Dawson or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Jim Rice's 2,452.