Josh Hamilton vs Matt Kemp: Career Stats Comparison
Matt Kemp 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). Josh Hamilton played 2007–2015 as a hitter; Matt Kemp played 2006–2020 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
Josh Hamilton (2007–2015) and Matt Kemp (2006–2020) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Josh Hamilton finished with 1,134 hits and 200 home runs; Matt Kemp finished with 1,808 hits and 287 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Kemp, with 287 to Josh Hamilton's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Hamilton, with .865 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Josh Hamilton, with .290 to Matt Kemp's .284.
- Who had more hits? Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Josh Hamilton's 1,134.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Kemp, with 1,031 to Josh Hamilton's 701.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Matt Kemp, with 14,253 career PIV to Josh Hamilton's 13,689.
Josh Hamilton
Matt Kemp
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Hamilton and Matt Kemp. 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 | Josh Hamilton | Matt Kemp |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,027 | Leads: 1,750 |
| At-Bats | 3,909 | Leads: 6,365 |
| Runs | 609 | Leads: 950 |
| Hits | 1,134 | Leads: 1,808 |
| Doubles | 234 | Leads: 338 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 37 |
| Home Runs | 200 | Leads: 287 |
| RBI | 701 | Leads: 1,031 |
| Walks | 352 | Leads: 518 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 938 | 1,641 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .290 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .349 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .516 | .484 |
| OPS | Leads: .865 | .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Matt Kemp edges Josh Hamilton 14,253 to 13,689 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Matt Kemp played 16 seasons to Josh Hamilton's 9, while Josh Hamilton carries the higher per-season figure (1,521 to 891). 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).
Josh Hamilton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Matt Kemp — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Matt Kemp leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Josh Hamilton owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Matt Kemp. PIV agrees: Matt Kemp grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Hamilton and Matt Kemp careers compare
Josh Hamilton and Matt Kemp were active at the same time between 2007 and 2015. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Josh Hamilton appeared in 1,027 games to Matt Kemp's 1,750. Josh Hamilton's edges on the table are batting average (.290 to .284), on-base percentage (.349 to .337), and slugging percentage (.516 to .484). At the plate, Josh Hamilton struck out more than walked (938 to 352), and Matt Kemp struck out more than walked (1,641 to 518). Matt Kemp was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Josh Hamilton holds the edge, .349 to .337.
Josh Hamilton vs Matt Kemp: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Hamilton or Matt Kemp?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Matt Kemp leads Josh Hamilton in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Hamilton or Matt Kemp hit more home runs?
- Matt Kemp, with 287 to Josh Hamilton's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Hamilton, with .865 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Josh Hamilton, with .290 to Matt Kemp's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Josh Hamilton's 1,134.