Luis Gonzalez vs Tim Salmon: Career Stats Comparison
Luis Gonzalez has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Luis Gonzalez played 1990–2008 as a hitter; Tim Salmon played 1992–2006 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
Luis Gonzalez (1990–2008) and Tim Salmon (1992–2006) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Luis Gonzalez finished with 2,591 hits and 354 home runs; Tim Salmon finished with 1,674 hits and 299 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Luis Gonzalez, with 354 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tim Salmon, with .884 to Luis Gonzalez's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average? Luis Gonzalez, with .283 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits? Luis Gonzalez, with 2,591 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.
- Who drove in more runs? Luis Gonzalez, with 1,439 to Tim Salmon's 1,016.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Luis Gonzalez, with 24,585 career PIV to Tim Salmon's 22,790.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Luis Gonzalez
Tim Salmon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Luis Gonzalez and Tim Salmon. 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 | Luis Gonzalez | Tim Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,591 | 1,672 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,157 | 5,934 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,412 | 986 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,591 | 1,674 |
| Doubles | Leads: 596 | 339 |
| Triples | Leads: 68 | 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 354 | 299 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,439 | 1,016 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,155 | 970 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,218 | 1,360 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 128 | 48 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .283 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .367 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | .479 | Leads: .498 |
| OPS | .845 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Luis Gonzalez edges Tim Salmon 24,585 to 22,790 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Luis Gonzalez played 20 seasons to Tim Salmon's 14, while Tim Salmon carries the higher per-season figure (1,628 to 1,229). 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).
Luis Gonzalez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tim Salmon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Luis Gonzalez leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Tim Salmon owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Luis Gonzalez. PIV agrees: Luis Gonzalez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Luis Gonzalez and Tim Salmon careers compare
From 1992 through 2006, Luis Gonzalez and Tim Salmon were in the majors together. Luis Gonzalez has the far longer record, 2,591 games against 1,672 across 20 and 14 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Tim Salmon's edges on the table are on-base percentage (.385 to .367), slugging percentage (.498 to .479), and OPS (.884 to .845). At the plate, Luis Gonzalez struck out more than walked (1,218 to 1,155), and Tim Salmon struck out more than walked (1,360 to 970). Home runs make up a larger share of Tim Salmon's hits: 354 of 2,591 for Luis Gonzalez, 299 of 1,674 for Tim Salmon.
Luis Gonzalez vs Tim Salmon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Luis Gonzalez or Tim Salmon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Luis Gonzalez leads Tim Salmon in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Luis Gonzalez or Tim Salmon hit more home runs?
- Luis Gonzalez, with 354 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tim Salmon, with .884 to Luis Gonzalez's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Luis Gonzalez, with .283 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Luis Gonzalez, with 2,591 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.