Ken Griffey 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). Ken Griffey played 1973–1991 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
Ken Griffey (1973–1991) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Griffey finished with 2,143 hits and 152 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? Pete Rose, with 160 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey, with .790 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Ken Griffey's .296.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Ken Griffey's 2,143.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Ken Griffey's 859.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 15,957.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 3 World Series titles.
Ken Griffey
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey 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 | Ken Griffey | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,097 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 7,229 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,129 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,143 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 364 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 77 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | 152 | Leads: 160 |
| RBI | 859 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 898 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 200 | 198 |
| Batting Avg | .296 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .431 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .790 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Ken Griffey 40,772 to 15,957 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 725, across 25 seasons to 22. 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).
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ken Griffey owns stolen bases 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 Ken Griffey and Pete Rose careers compare
From 1973 through 1986, Ken Griffey and Pete Rose were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Ken Griffey appeared in 2,097 games to Pete Rose's 3,562. Ken Griffey's edges on the table are stolen bases (200 to 198), slugging percentage (.431 to .409), and OPS (.790 to .784). At the plate, Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (898 to 719), while Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Ken Griffey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 152 of 2,143 hits leaving the park. Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Ken Griffey vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Ken Griffey in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Pete Rose, with 160 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey, with .790 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Ken Griffey's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Ken Griffey's 2,143.