Bryce Harper vs Matt Kemp: Career Stats Comparison
Bryce Harper has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Bryce Harper has played 2012–present 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
Bryce Harper (2012–present) and Matt Kemp (2006–2020) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bryce Harper has 1,956 hits and 392 home runs through October 12, 2026; 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? Bryce Harper, with 392 to Matt Kemp's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bryce Harper, with .902 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Matt Kemp, with .284 to Bryce Harper's .279.
- Who had more hits? Bryce Harper, with 1,956 to Matt Kemp's 1,808.
- Who drove in more runs? Bryce Harper, with 1,138 to Matt Kemp's 1,031.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bryce Harper, with 34,405 career PIV to Matt Kemp's 14,253.
Bryce Harper
Matt Kemp
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bryce Harper 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, and the 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Bryce Harper is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Bryce Harper | Matt Kemp |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,947 | 1,750 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,012 | 6,365 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,247 | 950 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,956 | 1,808 |
| Doubles | Leads: 433 | 338 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 37 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 392 | 287 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,138 | 1,031 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,212 | 518 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,802 | 1,641 |
| Stolen Bases | 159 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .516 | .484 |
| OPS | Leads: .902 | .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bryce Harper outpaces Matt Kemp 34,405 to 14,253 — driven by per-season impact — 2,458 PIV per season to 891 — rather than by longevity, since Bryce Harper played 14 seasons to Matt Kemp'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).
Bryce Harper — top 3 seasons by OPS
Matt Kemp — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bryce Harper leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Matt Kemp owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bryce Harper. PIV agrees: Bryce Harper grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bryce Harper and Matt Kemp careers compare
Bryce Harper and Matt Kemp were active at the same time between 2012 and 2020. The two careers are close in length, 1,947 games for Bryce Harper and 1,750 for Matt Kemp across 14 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Matt Kemp's edges on the table are triples (37 to 27), stolen bases (184 to 159), and batting average (.284 to .279). At the plate, Bryce Harper struck out more than walked (1,802 to 1,212), 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 slugging percentage, Bryce Harper holds the edge, .516 to .484. Because Bryce Harper is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Bryce Harper vs Matt Kemp: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bryce Harper or Matt Kemp?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bryce Harper leads Matt Kemp in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bryce Harper or Matt Kemp hit more home runs?
- Bryce Harper, with 392 to Matt Kemp's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bryce Harper, with .902 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Matt Kemp, with .284 to Bryce Harper's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Bryce Harper, with 1,956 to Matt Kemp's 1,808.