Carlos Gonzalez vs Matt Kemp: Career Stats Comparison
Matt Kemp has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Carlos Gonzalez played 2008–2019 as a hitter; Matt Kemp played 2006–2020 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
Carlos Gonzalez (2008–2019) and Matt Kemp (2006–2020) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Carlos Gonzalez finished with 1,432 hits and 234 home runs; Matt Kemp finished with 1,808 hits and 287 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Kemp, with 287 to Carlos Gonzalez's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carlos Gonzalez, with .843 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlos Gonzalez, with .285 to Matt Kemp's .284.
- Who had more hits? Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Carlos Gonzalez's 1,432.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Kemp, with 1,031 to Carlos Gonzalez's 785.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carlos Gonzalez, with 15,047 career PIV to Matt Kemp's 14,253.
Carlos Gonzalez
Matt Kemp
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlos Gonzalez and Matt Kemp. 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 | Carlos Gonzalez | Matt Kemp |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,377 | Leads: 1,750 |
| At-Bats | 5,033 | Leads: 6,365 |
| Runs | 821 | Leads: 950 |
| Hits | 1,432 | Leads: 1,808 |
| Doubles | 302 | Leads: 338 |
| Triples | Leads: 40 | 37 |
| Home Runs | 234 | Leads: 287 |
| RBI | 785 | Leads: 1,031 |
| Walks | 448 | Leads: 518 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,240 | 1,641 |
| Stolen Bases | 122 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .343 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .484 |
| OPS | Leads: .843 | .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carlos Gonzalez edges Matt Kemp 15,047 to 14,253 — driven by per-season impact — 1,157 PIV per season to 891 — rather than by longevity, since Carlos Gonzalez played 13 seasons to Matt Kemp's 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).
Carlos Gonzalez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Matt Kemp — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Matt Kemp leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Carlos Gonzalez owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Matt Kemp. Note that PIV actually grades Carlos Gonzalez ahead, which means Matt Kemp's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlos Gonzalez and Matt Kemp careers compare
From 2008 through 2019, Carlos Gonzalez and Matt Kemp were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,377 games for Carlos Gonzalez and 1,750 for Matt Kemp across 13 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Carlos Gonzalez struck out more than walked (1,240 to 448), and Matt Kemp struck out more than walked (1,641 to 518). Matt Kemp was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Carlos Gonzalez's slugging percentage of .500 tops Matt Kemp's .484. Matt Kemp owns the better peak by OPS: .974 OPS in 2010 for Carlos Gonzalez against .986 OPS in 2011 for Matt Kemp.
Carlos Gonzalez vs Matt Kemp: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlos Gonzalez or Matt Kemp?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Matt Kemp leads Carlos Gonzalez in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlos Gonzalez or Matt Kemp hit more home runs?
- Matt Kemp, with 287 to Carlos Gonzalez's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carlos Gonzalez, with .843 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlos Gonzalez, with .285 to Matt Kemp's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Carlos Gonzalez's 1,432.