Juan Gonzalez vs Kenny Lofton: Career Stats Comparison
Kenny Lofton 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). Juan Gonzalez played 1989–2005 as a hitter; Kenny Lofton played 1991–2007 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
Juan Gonzalez (1989–2005) and Kenny Lofton (1991–2007) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Juan Gonzalez finished with 1,936 hits and 434 home runs; Kenny Lofton finished with 2,428 hits and 130 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Juan Gonzalez, with 434 to Kenny Lofton's 130.
- Who had the higher OPS? Juan Gonzalez, with .904 to Kenny Lofton's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kenny Lofton, with .299 to Juan Gonzalez's .295.
- Who had more hits? Kenny Lofton, with 2,428 to Juan Gonzalez's 1,936.
- Who drove in more runs? Juan Gonzalez, with 1,404 to Kenny Lofton's 781.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Juan Gonzalez, with 25,105 career PIV to Kenny Lofton's 10,495.
Juan Gonzalez
Kenny Lofton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Juan Gonzalez and Kenny Lofton. 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 1980s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Juan Gonzalez | Kenny Lofton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,689 | Leads: 2,103 |
| At-Bats | 6,556 | Leads: 8,120 |
| Runs | 1,061 | Leads: 1,528 |
| Hits | 1,936 | Leads: 2,428 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 383 |
| Triples | 25 | Leads: 116 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 434 | 130 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,404 | 781 |
| Walks | 457 | Leads: 945 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,273 | 1,016 |
| Stolen Bases | 26 | Leads: 622 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .299 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .561 | .423 |
| OPS | Leads: .904 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Juan Gonzalez outpaces Kenny Lofton 25,105 to 10,495 — driven by per-season impact — 1,477 PIV per season to 525 — rather than by longevity, since Juan Gonzalez played 17 seasons to Kenny Lofton's 20. 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).
Juan Gonzalez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Kenny Lofton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kenny Lofton leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Juan Gonzalez owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kenny Lofton. Note that PIV actually grades Juan Gonzalez ahead, which means Kenny Lofton's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Juan Gonzalez and Kenny Lofton careers compare
The careers of Juan Gonzalez (1989–2005) and Kenny Lofton (1991–2007) overlapped from 1991 to 2005, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,689 games against 2,103 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Juan Gonzalez struck out more than walked (1,273 to 457); Kenny Lofton struck out more than walked (1,016 to 945). Juan Gonzalez is the more power-leaning hitter, with 434 of 1,936 hits leaving the park. Kenny Lofton was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Juan Gonzalez vs Kenny Lofton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Juan Gonzalez or Kenny Lofton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Kenny Lofton leads Juan Gonzalez in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Juan Gonzalez or Kenny Lofton hit more home runs?
- Juan Gonzalez, with 434 to Kenny Lofton's 130.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Juan Gonzalez, with .904 to Kenny Lofton's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kenny Lofton, with .299 to Juan Gonzalez's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Kenny Lofton, with 2,428 to Juan Gonzalez's 1,936.