Reggie Jackson vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Reggie Jackson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 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
Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1970s respectively and share 14 seasons. Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 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? Reggie Jackson, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Jackson, with 41,801 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
Reggie Jackson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson 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 | Reggie Jackson | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,820 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,864 | 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,249 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,584 | 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 463 | 373 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 563 | 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,702 | 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,375 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,597 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .490 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .846 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Jackson leads Jim Rice 41,801 to 31,418 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,991 PIV per season to 1,964, across 21 seasons to 16. 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).
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Reggie Jackson leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Jim Rice leads 4: triples, batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Reggie Jackson. PIV agrees: Reggie Jackson 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 Jim Rice careers compare
Reggie Jackson and Jim Rice were active at the same time between 1974 and 1987. With 2,820 games against 2,089 across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Jim Rice are triples (79 to 49), batting average (.298 to .262), and slugging percentage (.502 to .490). At the plate, Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375), and Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Home runs make up a larger share of Reggie Jackson's hits: 563 of 2,584 for Reggie Jackson, 382 of 2,452 for Jim Rice. Reggie Jackson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Reggie Jackson vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Reggie Jackson leads Jim Rice in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Jim Rice's 2,452.