Carlos Gonzalez vs Hunter Pence: Career Stats Comparison
Hunter Pence 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; Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 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 Hunter Pence (2007–2020) — 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; Hunter Pence finished with 1,791 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hunter Pence, with 244 to Carlos Gonzalez's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carlos Gonzalez, with .843 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlos Gonzalez, with .285 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits? Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Carlos Gonzalez's 1,432.
- Who drove in more runs? Hunter Pence, with 942 to Carlos Gonzalez's 785.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carlos Gonzalez, with 15,047 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Hunter Pence, with 2 World Series titles to Carlos Gonzalez's 0.
Carlos Gonzalez
Hunter Pence
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlos Gonzalez and Hunter Pence. 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 | Hunter Pence |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,377 | Leads: 1,707 |
| At-Bats | 5,033 | Leads: 6,420 |
| Runs | 821 | Leads: 891 |
| Hits | 1,432 | Leads: 1,791 |
| Doubles | 302 | Leads: 324 |
| Triples | 40 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 234 | Leads: 244 |
| RBI | 785 | Leads: 942 |
| Walks | 448 | Leads: 520 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,240 | 1,335 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 122 | 120 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .343 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .461 |
| OPS | Leads: .843 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carlos Gonzalez outpaces Hunter Pence 15,047 to 10,190 — driven by per-season impact — 1,157 PIV per season to 637 — rather than by longevity, since Carlos Gonzalez played 13 seasons to Hunter Pence'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
Hunter Pence — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carlos Gonzalez leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Hunter Pence owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carlos Gonzalez. PIV agrees: Carlos Gonzalez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlos Gonzalez and Hunter Pence careers compare
The careers of Carlos Gonzalez (2008–2019) and Hunter Pence (2007–2020) overlapped from 2008 to 2019, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,377 games against 1,707 across 13 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Carlos Gonzalez struck out more than walked (1,240 to 448), and Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520). Carlos Gonzalez was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Carlos Gonzalez's slugging percentage of .500 tops Hunter Pence's .461.
Carlos Gonzalez vs Hunter Pence: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlos Gonzalez or Hunter Pence?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hunter Pence leads Carlos Gonzalez in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlos Gonzalez or Hunter Pence hit more home runs?
- Hunter Pence, with 244 to Carlos Gonzalez's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carlos Gonzalez, with .843 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlos Gonzalez, with .285 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Carlos Gonzalez's 1,432.