Bobby Grich vs Jeff Kent: Career Stats Comparison
Jeff Kent 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). Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 as a hitter; Jeff Kent played 1992–2008 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
Bobby Grich (1970–1986) and Jeff Kent (1992–2008) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 home runs; Jeff Kent finished with 2,461 hits and 377 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jeff Kent, with 377 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Kent, with .855 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jeff Kent, with .290 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits? Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.
- Who drove in more runs? Jeff Kent, with 1,518 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jeff Kent, with 22,166 career PIV to Bobby Grich's 20,680.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Bobby Grich
Jeff Kent
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Grich and Jeff Kent. 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 1970s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Grich | Jeff Kent |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,008 | Leads: 2,298 |
| At-Bats | 6,890 | Leads: 8,498 |
| Runs | 1,033 | Leads: 1,320 |
| Hits | 1,833 | Leads: 2,461 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 560 |
| Triples | 47 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 224 | Leads: 377 |
| RBI | 864 | Leads: 1,518 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,087 | 801 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,278 | 1,522 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 104 | 94 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .356 |
| Slugging % | .424 | Leads: .500 |
| OPS | .794 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jeff Kent edges Bobby Grich 22,166 to 20,680 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jeff Kent played 19 seasons to Bobby Grich's 17, while Bobby Grich carries the higher per-season figure (1,216 to 1,167). 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).
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jeff Kent — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jeff Kent leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Grich owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jeff Kent. PIV agrees: Jeff Kent grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Grich and Jeff Kent careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bobby Grich's ended in 1986, and Jeff Kent debuted in 1992. With 2,008 games against 2,298 across 17 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Bobby Grich are walks (1,087 to 801), stolen bases (104 to 94), and on-base percentage (.371 to .356). At the plate, Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087), and Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801). Bobby Grich was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Jeff Kent's slugging percentage of .500 tops Bobby Grich's .424.
Bobby Grich vs Jeff Kent: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Grich or Jeff Kent?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jeff Kent leads Bobby Grich in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Grich or Jeff Kent hit more home runs?
- Jeff Kent, with 377 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Kent, with .855 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jeff Kent, with .290 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.