Bobby Grich vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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). Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bobby Grich, with 224 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Grich, with .794 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Bobby Grich's 20,680.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Bobby Grich's 1.
Bobby Grich
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Grich and Pete Rose. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Grich | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,008 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 6,890 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,033 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 1,833 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 224 | 160 |
| RBI | 864 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,087 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,278 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 104 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .424 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .794 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Bobby Grich 40,772 to 20,680 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 1,216, across 25 seasons to 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).
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Bobby Grich owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
The careers of Bobby Grich (1970–1986) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) overlapped from 1970 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Bobby Grich appeared in 2,008 games to Pete Rose's 3,562. Where Bobby Grich comes out ahead, it is in home runs (224 to 160), slugging percentage (.424 to .409), and OPS (.794 to .784). Plate discipline differs: Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts).
Bobby Grich vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Grich or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Bobby Grich in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Grich or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Bobby Grich, with 224 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Grich, with .794 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.