Carlos Gonzalez vs Justin Upton: Career Stats Comparison
Justin Upton 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; Justin Upton played 2007–2022 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 Justin Upton (2007–2022) — 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; Justin Upton finished with 1,754 hits and 325 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Justin Upton, with 325 to Carlos Gonzalez's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carlos Gonzalez, with .843 to Justin Upton's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlos Gonzalez, with .285 to Justin Upton's .261.
- Who had more hits? Justin Upton, with 1,754 to Carlos Gonzalez's 1,432.
- Who drove in more runs? Justin Upton, with 1,003 to Carlos Gonzalez's 785.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Justin Upton, with 15,786 career PIV to Carlos Gonzalez's 15,047.
Carlos Gonzalez
Justin Upton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlos Gonzalez and Justin Upton. 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 | Justin Upton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,377 | Leads: 1,845 |
| At-Bats | 5,033 | Leads: 6,721 |
| Runs | 821 | Leads: 1,058 |
| Hits | 1,432 | Leads: 1,754 |
| Doubles | 302 | Leads: 350 |
| Triples | Leads: 40 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 234 | Leads: 325 |
| RBI | 785 | Leads: 1,003 |
| Walks | 448 | Leads: 785 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,240 | 1,971 |
| Stolen Bases | 122 | Leads: 151 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .261 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .343 | .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .469 |
| OPS | Leads: .843 | .812 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Justin Upton edges Carlos Gonzalez 15,786 to 15,047 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Justin Upton played 17 seasons to Carlos Gonzalez's 13, while Carlos Gonzalez carries the higher per-season figure (1,157 to 929). 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
Justin Upton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Justin Upton 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 Justin Upton. PIV agrees: Justin Upton 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 Justin Upton careers compare
Carlos Gonzalez and Justin Upton were active at the same time between 2008 and 2019. With 1,377 games against 1,845 across 13 and 17 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 Justin Upton struck out more than walked (1,971 to 785). Carlos Gonzalez was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Carlos Gonzalez holds the edge, .343 to .342. Carlos Gonzalez owns the better peak by OPS: .974 OPS in 2010 for Carlos Gonzalez against .904 OPS in 2017 for Justin Upton.
Carlos Gonzalez vs Justin Upton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlos Gonzalez or Justin Upton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Justin Upton leads Carlos Gonzalez in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlos Gonzalez or Justin Upton hit more home runs?
- Justin Upton, with 325 to Carlos Gonzalez's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carlos Gonzalez, with .843 to Justin Upton's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlos Gonzalez, with .285 to Justin Upton's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Justin Upton, with 1,754 to Carlos Gonzalez's 1,432.