Rickey Henderson vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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
Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — both debuted in the 1970s. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; 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 leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Rice, with 382 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
Rickey Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Rickey Henderson | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,081 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,961 | 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,249 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 373 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson leads Jim Rice 37,642 to 31,418 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rickey Henderson played 25 seasons to Jim Rice's 16, while Jim Rice carries the higher per-season figure (1,964 to 1,506). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Rickey Henderson higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice careers compare
The careers of Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) overlapped from 1979 to 1989, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 3,081 games against 2,089 across 25 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), but Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim Rice's hits: 297 of 3,055 for Rickey Henderson, 382 of 2,452 for Jim Rice. Rickey Henderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Jim Rice's slugging percentage of .502 tops Rickey Henderson's .419.
Rickey Henderson vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Jim Rice's 2,452.