Reggie Jackson vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro 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). Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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
Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Reggie Jackson's 563.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Reggie Jackson's 1,702.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Reggie Jackson's 41,801.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Reggie Jackson
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Reggie Jackson | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,820 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 9,864 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,551 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,584 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 463 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 563 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,702 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,375 | 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,597 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .288 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | .490 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .846 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro edges Reggie Jackson 42,814 to 41,801 — driven by per-season impact — 2,141 PIV per season to 1,991 — rather than by longevity, since Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons to Reggie Jackson's 21. 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).
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Reggie Jackson owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Reggie Jackson and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
The careers of Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) overlapped from 1986 to 1987, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,820 games against 2,831 across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Reggie Jackson's edges on the table are triples (49 to 38), walks (1,375 to 1,353), and stolen bases (228 to 97). At the plate, Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts).
Reggie Jackson vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Reggie Jackson in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Reggie Jackson's 563.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.