Paul Goldschmidt vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Paul Goldschmidt has played 2011–present 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
Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul Goldschmidt has 2,277 hits and 390 home runs through October 12, 2026; 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 Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Paul Goldschmidt's 1,284.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Paul Goldschmidt's 35,401.
Paul Goldschmidt
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Goldschmidt 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 2010s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Goldschmidt is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Paul Goldschmidt | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,179 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 7,953 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,324 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,277 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 490 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | 25 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 390 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,284 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 1,115 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,065 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 175 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | .286 | Leads: .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .371 |
| Slugging % | .501 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .877 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro leads Paul Goldschmidt 42,814 to 35,401 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons to Paul Goldschmidt's 15, while Paul Goldschmidt carries the higher per-season figure (2,360 to 2,141). 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).
Paul Goldschmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Paul Goldschmidt owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Paul Goldschmidt and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) was finished before Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 2,179 games for Paul Goldschmidt and 2,831 for Rafael Palmeiro across 15 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Paul Goldschmidt are stolen bases (175 to 97) and on-base percentage (.375 to .371). Plate discipline differs: Paul Goldschmidt struck out more than walked (2,065 to 1,115), but Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Paul Goldschmidt was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Rafael Palmeiro holds the edge, .515 to .501. Because Paul Goldschmidt is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Paul Goldschmidt vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Goldschmidt or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Paul Goldschmidt in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Goldschmidt or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.