Tony Gwynn vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Tony Gwynn has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Tony Gwynn played 1982–2001 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
Tony Gwynn (1982–2001) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Tony Gwynn finished with 3,141 hits and 135 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? Jim Rice, with 382 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Tony Gwynn's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Jim Rice's .298.
- Who had more hits? Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Tony Gwynn's 1,138.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Tony Gwynn's 30,602.
Tony Gwynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tony Gwynn and Jim Rice. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tony Gwynn | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,440 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,288 | 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,383 | 1,249 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,141 | 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 543 | 373 |
| Triples | Leads: 85 | 79 |
| Home Runs | 135 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | 1,138 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 790 | 670 |
| Strikeouts | 434 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 319 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .338 | .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .459 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .847 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice edges Tony Gwynn 31,418 to 30,602 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,964 vs 1,530 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Tony Gwynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tony Gwynn leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Jim Rice owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tony Gwynn. Note that PIV actually grades Jim Rice ahead, which means Tony Gwynn's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Tony Gwynn vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tony Gwynn or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tony Gwynn leads Jim Rice in 10 of 14 categories.
- Did Tony Gwynn or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Tony Gwynn's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Jim Rice's .298.
- Who had more hits?
- Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Jim Rice's 2,452.