Adrian Gonzalez vs Jim Thome: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Thome has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Adrian Gonzalez played 2004–2018 as a hitter; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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
Adrian Gonzalez (2004–2018) and Jim Thome (1991–2012) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Adrian Gonzalez finished with 2,050 hits and 317 home runs; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Adrian Gonzalez's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Adrian Gonzalez's .843.
- Who had the higher batting average? Adrian Gonzalez, with .287 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Adrian Gonzalez's 2,050.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Thome, with 1,699 to Adrian Gonzalez's 1,202.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Adrian Gonzalez's 22,539.
Adrian Gonzalez
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Adrian Gonzalez and Jim Thome. 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 | Adrian Gonzalez | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,929 | Leads: 2,543 |
| At-Bats | 7,139 | Leads: 8,422 |
| Runs | 997 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Hits | 2,050 | Leads: 2,328 |
| Doubles | 437 | Leads: 451 |
| Triples | 12 | Leads: 26 |
| Home Runs | 317 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | 1,202 | Leads: 1,699 |
| Walks | 782 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,401 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | 6 | Leads: 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .287 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .402 |
| Slugging % | .485 | Leads: .554 |
| OPS | .843 | Leads: .956 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome outpaces Adrian Gonzalez 51,664 to 22,539 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,067 PIV per season to 1,409, across 25 seasons to 16. 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).
Adrian Gonzalez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Thome leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Adrian Gonzalez owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Thome. PIV agrees: Jim Thome grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Adrian Gonzalez and Jim Thome careers compare
Adrian Gonzalez and Jim Thome were active at the same time between 2004 and 2012. The two careers are close in length, 1,929 games for Adrian Gonzalez and 2,543 for Jim Thome across 16 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Adrian Gonzalez comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.287 to .276). At the plate, Adrian Gonzalez struck out more than walked (1,401 to 782), and Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). Jim Thome is the more power-leaning hitter, with 612 of 2,328 hits leaving the park. Jim Thome's slugging percentage of .554 tops Adrian Gonzalez's .485.
Adrian Gonzalez vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Adrian Gonzalez or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Thome leads Adrian Gonzalez in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Adrian Gonzalez or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Adrian Gonzalez's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Adrian Gonzalez's .843.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Adrian Gonzalez, with .287 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Adrian Gonzalez's 2,050.