Josh Hamilton vs Hunter Pence: Career Stats Comparison
Hunter Pence 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; Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 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 Hunter Pence (2007–2020) — 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; Hunter Pence finished with 1,791 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hunter Pence, with 244 to Josh Hamilton's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Hamilton, with .865 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Josh Hamilton, with .290 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits? Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Josh Hamilton's 1,134.
- Who drove in more runs? Hunter Pence, with 942 to Josh Hamilton's 701.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Josh Hamilton, with 13,689 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Hunter Pence, with 2 World Series titles to Josh Hamilton's 0.
Josh Hamilton
Hunter Pence
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Hamilton and Hunter Pence. 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 | Hunter Pence |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,027 | Leads: 1,707 |
| At-Bats | 3,909 | Leads: 6,420 |
| Runs | 609 | Leads: 891 |
| Hits | 1,134 | Leads: 1,791 |
| Doubles | 234 | Leads: 324 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 200 | Leads: 244 |
| RBI | 701 | Leads: 942 |
| Walks | 352 | Leads: 520 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 938 | 1,335 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 120 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .290 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .349 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .516 | .461 |
| OPS | Leads: .865 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Josh Hamilton outpaces Hunter Pence 13,689 to 10,190 — driven by per-season impact — 1,521 PIV per season to 637 — rather than by longevity, since Josh Hamilton played 9 seasons to Hunter Pence's 16. 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
Hunter Pence — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hunter Pence 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 Hunter Pence. Note that PIV actually grades Josh Hamilton ahead, which means Hunter Pence's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Hamilton and Hunter Pence careers compare
Josh Hamilton and Hunter Pence were active at the same time between 2007 and 2015. The table compares 1,027 games of Josh Hamilton with 1,707 of Hunter Pence across 9 and 16 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Josh Hamilton are batting average (.290 to .279), on-base percentage (.349 to .334), and slugging percentage (.516 to .461). Josh Hamilton struck out more than walked (938 to 352); Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520). Hunter Pence was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Josh Hamilton holds the edge, .516 to .461.
Josh Hamilton vs Hunter Pence: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Hamilton or Hunter Pence?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hunter Pence leads Josh Hamilton in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Hamilton or Hunter Pence hit more home runs?
- Hunter Pence, with 244 to Josh Hamilton's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Hamilton, with .865 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Josh Hamilton, with .290 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Josh Hamilton's 1,134.