Carlos Gonzalez vs Ben Zobrist: Career Stats Comparison
Ben Zobrist has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Ben Zobrist played 2006–2019 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 Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) — 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; Ben Zobrist finished with 1,566 hits and 167 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carlos Gonzalez, with 234 to Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carlos Gonzalez, with .843 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlos Gonzalez, with .285 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits? Ben Zobrist, with 1,566 to Carlos Gonzalez's 1,432.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlos Gonzalez, with 785 to Ben Zobrist's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carlos Gonzalez, with 15,047 career PIV to Ben Zobrist's 10,712.
- Who won more championships? Ben Zobrist, with 2 World Series titles to Carlos Gonzalez's 0.
Carlos Gonzalez
Ben Zobrist
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlos Gonzalez and Ben Zobrist. 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 | Ben Zobrist |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,377 | Leads: 1,651 |
| At-Bats | 5,033 | Leads: 5,880 |
| Runs | 821 | Leads: 884 |
| Hits | 1,432 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Doubles | 302 | Leads: 349 |
| Triples | 40 | Leads: 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 234 | 167 |
| RBI | Leads: 785 | 768 |
| Walks | 448 | Leads: 832 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,240 | 994 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 122 | 116 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .266 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .426 |
| OPS | Leads: .843 | .783 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carlos Gonzalez outpaces Ben Zobrist 15,047 to 10,712 — driven by per-season impact — 1,157 PIV per season to 714 — rather than by longevity, since Carlos Gonzalez played 13 seasons to Ben Zobrist's 15. 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
Ben Zobrist — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carlos Gonzalez leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ben Zobrist owns hits, runs, and OBP. 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 Ben Zobrist careers compare
From 2008 through 2019, Carlos Gonzalez and Ben Zobrist were in the majors together. With 1,377 games against 1,651 across 13 and 15 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 Ben Zobrist struck out more than walked (994 to 832). Home runs make up a larger share of Carlos Gonzalez's hits: 234 of 1,432 for Carlos Gonzalez, 167 of 1,566 for Ben Zobrist. Carlos Gonzalez was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Ben Zobrist holds the edge, .357 to .343.
Carlos Gonzalez vs Ben Zobrist: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlos Gonzalez or Ben Zobrist?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ben Zobrist leads Carlos Gonzalez in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlos Gonzalez or Ben Zobrist hit more home runs?
- Carlos Gonzalez, with 234 to Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carlos Gonzalez, with .843 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlos Gonzalez, with .285 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Ben Zobrist, with 1,566 to Carlos Gonzalez's 1,432.