Rafael Furcal vs Nomar Garciaparra: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Furcal and Nomar Garciaparra are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rafael Furcal played 2000–2014 as a hitter; Nomar Garciaparra played 1996–2009 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
Rafael Furcal (2000–2014) and Nomar Garciaparra (1996–2009) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rafael Furcal finished with 1,817 hits and 113 home runs; Nomar Garciaparra finished with 1,747 hits and 229 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Nomar Garciaparra, with 229 to Rafael Furcal's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Rafael Furcal's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Rafael Furcal's .281.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Furcal, with 1,817 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.
- Who drove in more runs? Nomar Garciaparra, with 936 to Rafael Furcal's 587.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nomar Garciaparra, with 17,414 career PIV to Rafael Furcal's 874.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Rafael Furcal
Nomar Garciaparra
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rafael Furcal and Nomar Garciaparra. 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 2000s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rafael Furcal | Nomar Garciaparra |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,614 | 1,434 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,477 | 5,586 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,063 | 927 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,817 | 1,747 |
| Doubles | 311 | Leads: 370 |
| Triples | Leads: 69 | 52 |
| Home Runs | 113 | Leads: 229 |
| RBI | 587 | Leads: 936 |
| Walks | Leads: 643 | 403 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 910 | 554 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 314 | 95 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .346 | Leads: .361 |
| Slugging % | .402 | Leads: .521 |
| OPS | .748 | Leads: .882 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nomar Garciaparra outpaces Rafael Furcal 17,414 to 874 — driven by per-season impact — 1,161 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Nomar Garciaparra played 15 seasons to Rafael Furcal's 15. 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).
Rafael Furcal — top 3 seasons by OPS
Nomar Garciaparra — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nomar Garciaparra leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Rafael Furcal owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nomar Garciaparra. PIV agrees: Nomar Garciaparra grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rafael Furcal and Nomar Garciaparra careers compare
From 2000 through 2009, Rafael Furcal and Nomar Garciaparra were in the majors together. With 1,614 games against 1,434 across 15 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Rafael Furcal struck out more than walked (910 to 643); Nomar Garciaparra struck out more than walked (554 to 403). Nomar Garciaparra is the more power-leaning hitter, with 229 of 1,747 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Rafael Furcal stole more often per game played (314 steals in 1,614 games for Rafael Furcal, 95 in 1,434 for Nomar Garciaparra). Nomar Garciaparra's slugging percentage of .521 tops Rafael Furcal's .402.
Rafael Furcal vs Nomar Garciaparra: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Rafael Furcal or Nomar Garciaparra hit more home runs?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with 229 to Rafael Furcal's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Rafael Furcal's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Rafael Furcal's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Furcal, with 1,817 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.