Juan Gonzalez vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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 Jim Rice (1974–1989) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Juan Gonzalez finished with 1,936 hits and 434 home runs; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 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 Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Juan Gonzalez, with .904 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Juan Gonzalez's .295.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Juan Gonzalez's 1,936.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Juan Gonzalez's 1,404.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Juan Gonzalez's 25,105.
Juan Gonzalez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Juan Gonzalez and Jim Rice. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Juan Gonzalez | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,689 | Leads: 2,089 |
| At-Bats | 6,556 | Leads: 8,225 |
| Runs | 1,061 | Leads: 1,249 |
| Hits | 1,936 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 373 |
| Triples | 25 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 434 | 382 |
| RBI | 1,404 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | 457 | Leads: 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,273 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | 26 | Leads: 58 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .352 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .561 | .502 |
| OPS | Leads: .904 | .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice leads Juan Gonzalez 31,418 to 25,105 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 1,477 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Juan Gonzalez's 17. 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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Rice leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Juan Gonzalez owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Rice. PIV agrees: Jim Rice grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Juan Gonzalez and Jim Rice careers compare
Juan Gonzalez and Jim Rice were active at the same time between 1989 and 1989. With 1,689 games against 2,089 across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Juan Gonzalez's edges on the table are doubles (388 to 373), home runs (434 to 382), and slugging percentage (.561 to .502). At the plate, Juan Gonzalez struck out more than walked (1,273 to 457), and Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Home runs make up a larger share of Juan Gonzalez's hits: 434 of 1,936 for Juan Gonzalez, 382 of 2,452 for Jim Rice. Juan Gonzalez's slugging percentage of .561 tops Jim Rice's .502.
Juan Gonzalez vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Juan Gonzalez or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Juan Gonzalez in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Juan Gonzalez or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Juan Gonzalez, with 434 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Juan Gonzalez, with .904 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Juan Gonzalez's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Juan Gonzalez's 1,936.