Matt Holliday vs Hunter Pence: Career Stats Comparison
Matt Holliday has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Matt Holliday played 2004–2018 as a hitter; Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 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
Matt Holliday (2004–2018) and Hunter Pence (2007–2020) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Matt Holliday finished with 2,096 hits and 316 home runs; Hunter Pence finished with 1,791 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Holliday, with 316 to Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS? Matt Holliday, with .889 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Matt Holliday, with .299 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits? Matt Holliday, with 2,096 to Hunter Pence's 1,791.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Holliday, with 1,220 to Hunter Pence's 942.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Matt Holliday, with 30,426 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Hunter Pence, with 2 World Series titles to Matt Holliday's 1.
Matt Holliday
Hunter Pence
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Matt Holliday and Hunter Pence. 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 | Matt Holliday | Hunter Pence |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,903 | 1,707 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,009 | 6,420 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,157 | 891 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,096 | 1,791 |
| Doubles | Leads: 468 | 324 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 316 | 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,220 | 942 |
| Walks | Leads: 802 | 520 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,362 | 1,335 |
| Stolen Bases | 108 | Leads: 120 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .299 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .379 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .510 | .461 |
| OPS | Leads: .889 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Matt Holliday outpaces Hunter Pence 30,426 to 10,190 — driven by per-season impact — 1,902 PIV per season to 637 — rather than by longevity, since Matt Holliday played 16 seasons to Hunter Pence'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).
Matt Holliday — top 3 seasons by OPS
Hunter Pence — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Matt Holliday leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hunter Pence owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Matt Holliday. PIV agrees: Matt Holliday grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Matt Holliday and Hunter Pence careers compare
From 2007 through 2018, Matt Holliday and Hunter Pence were in the majors together. With 1,903 games against 1,707 across 16 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Hunter Pence comes out ahead, it is in triples (55 to 32) and stolen bases (120 to 108). At the plate, Matt Holliday struck out more than walked (1,362 to 802), and Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520). Hunter Pence was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Matt Holliday's slugging percentage of .510 tops Hunter Pence's .461.
Matt Holliday vs Hunter Pence: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Matt Holliday or Hunter Pence?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Matt Holliday leads Hunter Pence in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Matt Holliday or Hunter Pence hit more home runs?
- Matt Holliday, with 316 to Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Matt Holliday, with .889 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Matt Holliday, with .299 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Matt Holliday, with 2,096 to Hunter Pence's 1,791.