Rickey Henderson vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson and Pete Rose are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Rickey Henderson's 37,642.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Rickey Henderson's 2.
Rickey Henderson
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Pete Rose. 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rickey Henderson | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 3,081 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 10,961 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 2,165 |
| Hits | 3,055 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 510 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 297 | 160 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 198 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .419 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose edges Rickey Henderson 40,772 to 37,642 — driven by per-season impact — 1,631 PIV per season to 1,298 — rather than by longevity, since Pete Rose played 25 seasons to Rickey Henderson's 29. 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).
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Pete Rose owns hits, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. Note that PIV actually grades Pete Rose ahead, which means Rickey Henderson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rickey Henderson and Pete Rose careers compare
Rickey Henderson and Pete Rose were active at the same time between 1979 and 1986. With 3,081 games against 3,562 across 29 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts); Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Rickey Henderson's hits: 297 of 3,055 for Rickey Henderson, 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose. Rickey Henderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Rickey Henderson holds the edge, .401 to .375.
Rickey Henderson vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Rickey Henderson or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.