Josh Hamilton vs Ian Kinsler: Career Stats Comparison
Ian Kinsler 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; Ian Kinsler played 2006–2019 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 Ian Kinsler (2006–2019) — 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; Ian Kinsler finished with 1,999 hits and 257 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ian Kinsler, with 257 to Josh Hamilton's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Hamilton, with .865 to Ian Kinsler's .777.
- Who had the higher batting average? Josh Hamilton, with .290 to Ian Kinsler's .269.
- Who had more hits? Ian Kinsler, with 1,999 to Josh Hamilton's 1,134.
- Who drove in more runs? Ian Kinsler, with 909 to Josh Hamilton's 701.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Josh Hamilton, with 13,689 career PIV to Ian Kinsler's 9,201.
- Who won more championships? Ian Kinsler, with 1 World Series title to Josh Hamilton's 0.
Josh Hamilton
Ian Kinsler
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler. 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 | Ian Kinsler |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,027 | Leads: 1,888 |
| At-Bats | 3,909 | Leads: 7,423 |
| Runs | 609 | Leads: 1,243 |
| Hits | 1,134 | Leads: 1,999 |
| Doubles | 234 | Leads: 416 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 41 |
| Home Runs | 200 | Leads: 257 |
| RBI | 701 | Leads: 909 |
| Walks | 352 | Leads: 693 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 938 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 243 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .290 | .269 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .349 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .516 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .865 | .777 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Josh Hamilton outpaces Ian Kinsler 13,689 to 9,201 — driven by per-season impact — 1,521 PIV per season to 613 — rather than by longevity, since Josh Hamilton played 9 seasons to Ian Kinsler's 15. 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
Ian Kinsler — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ian Kinsler 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 Ian Kinsler. Note that PIV actually grades Josh Hamilton ahead, which means Ian Kinsler's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler careers compare
The careers of Josh Hamilton (2007–2015) and Ian Kinsler (2006–2019) overlapped from 2007 to 2015, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Ian Kinsler has the far longer record, 1,888 games against 1,027 across 9 and 15 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Josh Hamilton's edges on the table are batting average (.290 to .269), on-base percentage (.349 to .337), and slugging percentage (.516 to .440). At the plate, Josh Hamilton struck out more than walked (938 to 352), and Ian Kinsler struck out more than walked (1,046 to 693). Josh Hamilton is the more power-leaning hitter, with 200 of 1,134 hits leaving the park.
Josh Hamilton vs Ian Kinsler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Hamilton or Ian Kinsler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ian Kinsler leads Josh Hamilton in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Hamilton or Ian Kinsler hit more home runs?
- Ian Kinsler, with 257 to Josh Hamilton's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Hamilton, with .865 to Ian Kinsler's .777.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Josh Hamilton, with .290 to Ian Kinsler's .269.
- Who had more hits?
- Ian Kinsler, with 1,999 to Josh Hamilton's 1,134.