Reggie Jackson vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 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
Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 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? Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Jackson, with 41,801 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Pete Rose's 3.
Reggie Jackson
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson and Pete Rose. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Reggie Jackson | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,820 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 9,864 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,551 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,584 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 463 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 563 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,702 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,375 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts | 2,597 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 198 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .490 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .846 | .784 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Jackson edges Pete Rose 41,801 to 40,772 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,991 vs 1,631 per year). 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Reggie Jackson leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and OPS, while Pete Rose owns hits, runs, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
Reggie Jackson vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Reggie Jackson in 9 of 14 categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.