Kirk Gibson vs Tim Raines: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Raines has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Kirk Gibson played 1979–1995 as a hitter; Tim Raines played 1979–2002 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
Kirk Gibson (1979–1995) and Tim Raines (1979–2002) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Kirk Gibson finished with 1,553 hits and 255 home runs; Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Kirk Gibson, with 255 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kirk Gibson, with .815 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tim Raines, with .294 to Kirk Gibson's .268.
- Who had more hits? Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Kirk Gibson's 1,553.
- Who drove in more runs? Tim Raines, with 980 to Kirk Gibson's 870.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tim Raines, with 25,763 career PIV to Kirk Gibson's 15,883.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Kirk Gibson
Tim Raines
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Kirk Gibson and Tim Raines. 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 | Kirk Gibson | Tim Raines |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,635 | Leads: 2,502 |
| At-Bats | 5,798 | Leads: 8,872 |
| Runs | 985 | Leads: 1,571 |
| Hits | 1,553 | Leads: 2,605 |
| Doubles | 260 | Leads: 430 |
| Triples | 54 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 255 | 170 |
| RBI | 870 | Leads: 980 |
| Walks | 718 | Leads: 1,330 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,285 | 966 |
| Stolen Bases | 284 | Leads: 808 |
| Batting Avg | .268 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .463 | .425 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Raines outpaces Kirk Gibson 25,763 to 15,883 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,073 PIV per season to 934, across 24 seasons to 17. 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).
Kirk Gibson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Raines leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Kirk Gibson owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Raines. PIV agrees: Tim Raines grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kirk Gibson and Tim Raines careers compare
Kirk Gibson and Tim Raines were active at the same time between 1979 and 1995. Tim Raines has the far longer record, 2,502 games against 1,635 across 17 and 24 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Kirk Gibson comes out ahead, it is in home runs (255 to 170), slugging percentage (.463 to .425), and OPS (.815 to .810). At the plate, Kirk Gibson struck out more than walked (1,285 to 718), while Tim Raines walked more often than struck out (1,330 walks, 966 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Kirk Gibson's hits: 255 of 1,553 for Kirk Gibson, 170 of 2,605 for Tim Raines.
Kirk Gibson vs Tim Raines: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kirk Gibson or Tim Raines?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Raines leads Kirk Gibson in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Kirk Gibson or Tim Raines hit more home runs?
- Kirk Gibson, with 255 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kirk Gibson, with .815 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tim Raines, with .294 to Kirk Gibson's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Kirk Gibson's 1,553.