Bryce Harper vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Bryce Harper and Jim Rice are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Bryce Harper has played 2012–present as a hitter; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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 Jim Rice (1974–1989) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bryce Harper has 1,956 hits and 392 home runs through October 12, 2026; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 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 Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bryce Harper, with .902 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Bryce Harper's .279.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Bryce Harper's 1,956.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Bryce Harper's 1,138.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bryce Harper, with 34,405 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
Bryce Harper
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bryce Harper and Jim Rice. 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 1970s 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 | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,947 | Leads: 2,089 |
| At-Bats | 7,012 | Leads: 8,225 |
| Runs | 1,247 | Leads: 1,249 |
| Hits | 1,956 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 433 | 373 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 392 | 382 |
| RBI | 1,138 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,212 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,802 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 159 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .352 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .516 | .502 |
| OPS | Leads: .902 | .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bryce Harper leads Jim Rice 34,405 to 31,418 — driven by per-season impact — 2,458 PIV per season to 1,964 — rather than by longevity, since Bryce Harper played 14 seasons to Jim Rice'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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bryce Harper leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Jim Rice owns hits, RBI, and runs. 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 Jim Rice careers compare
Jim Rice (1974–1989) was finished before Bryce Harper (2012–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 1,947 games for Bryce Harper and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 14 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Bryce Harper struck out more than walked (1,802 to 1,212), and Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Bryce Harper was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Bryce Harper's slugging percentage of .516 tops Jim Rice's .502. Because Bryce Harper is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Bryce Harper vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Bryce Harper or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Bryce Harper, with 392 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bryce Harper, with .902 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Bryce Harper's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Bryce Harper's 1,956.