Jimmie Foxx vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmie Foxx 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). Jimmie Foxx played 1925–1945 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
Jimmie Foxx (1925–1945) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jimmie Foxx finished with 2,646 hits and 534 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 Jimmie Foxx's 534.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jimmie Foxx's 2,646.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 1,922 to Rafael Palmeiro's 1,835.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jimmie Foxx, with 72,872 career PIV to Rafael Palmeiro's 42,814.
- Who won more championships? Jimmie Foxx, with 2 World Series titles to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Jimmie Foxx
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmie Foxx 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 1920s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jimmie Foxx | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,317 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 8,134 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,751 | 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,646 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 458 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 125 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 534 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,922 | 1,835 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,452 | 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,311 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 87 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .428 | .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .609 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.038 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jimmie Foxx outpaces Rafael Palmeiro 72,872 to 42,814 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,470 PIV per season to 2,141, across 21 seasons to 20. 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).
Jimmie Foxx — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmie Foxx leads in RBI, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Rafael Palmeiro owns hits, home runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jimmie Foxx. PIV agrees: Jimmie Foxx grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jimmie Foxx and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
No season is shared: Jimmie Foxx played 1925–1945, Rafael Palmeiro 1986–2005. With 2,317 games against 2,831 across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jimmie Foxx walked more often than struck out (1,452 walks, 1,311 strikeouts), and Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Jimmie Foxx's slugging percentage of .609 tops Rafael Palmeiro's .515. Best seasons: 1932 for Jimmie Foxx (1.218 OPS, 58 HR, 169 RBI, .364 avg) and 1999 for Rafael Palmeiro (1.050 OPS, 47 HR, 148 RBI, .324 avg).
Jimmie Foxx vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmie Foxx or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmie Foxx leads Rafael Palmeiro in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jimmie Foxx or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Jimmie Foxx's 534.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jimmie Foxx's 2,646.