Nomar Garciaparra vs Scott Rolen: Career Stats Comparison
Scott Rolen has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nomar Garciaparra played 1996–2009 as a hitter; Scott Rolen played 1996–2012 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
Nomar Garciaparra (1996–2009) and Scott Rolen (1996–2012) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Nomar Garciaparra finished with 1,747 hits and 229 home runs; Scott Rolen finished with 2,077 hits and 316 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Scott Rolen, with 316 to Nomar Garciaparra's 229.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Scott Rolen's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits? Scott Rolen, with 2,077 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.
- Who drove in more runs? Scott Rolen, with 1,287 to Nomar Garciaparra's 936.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Scott Rolen, with 20,867 career PIV to Nomar Garciaparra's 17,414.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Nomar Garciaparra
Scott Rolen
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nomar Garciaparra and Scott Rolen. 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 | Nomar Garciaparra | Scott Rolen |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,434 | Leads: 2,038 |
| At-Bats | 5,586 | Leads: 7,398 |
| Runs | 927 | Leads: 1,211 |
| Hits | 1,747 | Leads: 2,077 |
| Doubles | 370 | Leads: 517 |
| Triples | Leads: 52 | 43 |
| Home Runs | 229 | Leads: 316 |
| RBI | 936 | Leads: 1,287 |
| Walks | 403 | Leads: 899 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 554 | 1,410 |
| Stolen Bases | 95 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .281 |
| On-Base % | .361 | Leads: .364 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .521 | .490 |
| OPS | Leads: .882 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Scott Rolen leads Nomar Garciaparra 20,867 to 17,414 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Scott Rolen played 19 seasons to Nomar Garciaparra's 15, while Nomar Garciaparra carries the higher per-season figure (1,161 to 1,098). 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).
Nomar Garciaparra — top 3 seasons by OPS
Scott Rolen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Scott Rolen leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Nomar Garciaparra owns batting average and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Scott Rolen. PIV agrees: Scott Rolen grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nomar Garciaparra and Scott Rolen careers compare
The careers of Nomar Garciaparra (1996–2009) and Scott Rolen (1996–2012) overlapped from 1996 to 2009, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,434 games for Nomar Garciaparra and 2,038 for Scott Rolen across 15 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Nomar Garciaparra's edges on the table are triples (52 to 43), batting average (.313 to .281), and slugging percentage (.521 to .490). Nomar Garciaparra struck out more than walked (554 to 403); Scott Rolen struck out more than walked (1,410 to 899).
Nomar Garciaparra vs Scott Rolen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nomar Garciaparra or Scott Rolen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Scott Rolen leads Nomar Garciaparra in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nomar Garciaparra or Scott Rolen hit more home runs?
- Scott Rolen, with 316 to Nomar Garciaparra's 229.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Scott Rolen's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Scott Rolen, with 2,077 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.