Josh Hamilton vs Justin Upton: Career Stats Comparison
Justin Upton 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; Justin Upton played 2007–2022 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 Justin Upton (2007–2022) — 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; Justin Upton finished with 1,754 hits and 325 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Justin Upton, with 325 to Josh Hamilton's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Hamilton, with .865 to Justin Upton's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average? Josh Hamilton, with .290 to Justin Upton's .261.
- Who had more hits? Justin Upton, with 1,754 to Josh Hamilton's 1,134.
- Who drove in more runs? Justin Upton, with 1,003 to Josh Hamilton's 701.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Justin Upton, with 15,786 career PIV to Josh Hamilton's 13,689.
Josh Hamilton
Justin Upton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Hamilton and Justin Upton. 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 | Justin Upton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,027 | Leads: 1,845 |
| At-Bats | 3,909 | Leads: 6,721 |
| Runs | 609 | Leads: 1,058 |
| Hits | 1,134 | Leads: 1,754 |
| Doubles | 234 | Leads: 350 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 200 | Leads: 325 |
| RBI | 701 | Leads: 1,003 |
| Walks | 352 | Leads: 785 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 938 | 1,971 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 151 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .290 | .261 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .349 | .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .516 | .469 |
| OPS | Leads: .865 | .812 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Justin Upton leads Josh Hamilton 15,786 to 13,689 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Justin Upton played 17 seasons to Josh Hamilton's 9, while Josh Hamilton carries the higher per-season figure (1,521 to 929). 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
Justin Upton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Justin Upton 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 Justin Upton. PIV agrees: Justin Upton 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 Justin Upton careers compare
Josh Hamilton and Justin Upton were active at the same time between 2007 and 2015. The table compares 1,027 games of Josh Hamilton with 1,845 of Justin Upton across 9 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Josh Hamilton's edges on the table are batting average (.290 to .261), on-base percentage (.349 to .342), and slugging percentage (.516 to .469). At the plate, Josh Hamilton struck out more than walked (938 to 352), and Justin Upton struck out more than walked (1,971 to 785). On the bases, Justin Upton stole more often per game played (50 steals in 1,027 games for Josh Hamilton, 151 in 1,845 for Justin Upton).
Josh Hamilton vs Justin Upton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Hamilton or Justin Upton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Justin Upton leads Josh Hamilton in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Hamilton or Justin Upton hit more home runs?
- Justin Upton, with 325 to Josh Hamilton's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Hamilton, with .865 to Justin Upton's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Josh Hamilton, with .290 to Justin Upton's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Justin Upton, with 1,754 to Josh Hamilton's 1,134.