Aaron Judge vs Matt Kemp: Career Stats Comparison
Matt Kemp has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Aaron Judge has played 2016–present as a hitter; Matt Kemp played 2006–2020 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
Aaron Judge (2016–present) and Matt Kemp (2006–2020) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Aaron Judge has 1,262 hits and 386 home runs through October 12, 2026; Matt Kemp finished with 1,808 hits and 287 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Aaron Judge, with 386 to Matt Kemp's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Aaron Judge, with 1.020 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Aaron Judge, with .291 to Matt Kemp's .284.
- Who had more hits? Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Aaron Judge's 1,262.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Kemp, with 1,031 to Aaron Judge's 871.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Aaron Judge, with 37,037 career PIV to Matt Kemp's 14,253.
Aaron Judge
Matt Kemp
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Aaron Judge and Matt Kemp. 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 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Aaron Judge is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Aaron Judge | Matt Kemp |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,211 | Leads: 1,750 |
| At-Bats | 4,342 | Leads: 6,365 |
| Runs | 918 | Leads: 950 |
| Hits | 1,262 | Leads: 1,808 |
| Doubles | 213 | Leads: 338 |
| Triples | 7 | Leads: 37 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 386 | 287 |
| RBI | 871 | Leads: 1,031 |
| Walks | Leads: 860 | 518 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,454 | 1,641 |
| Stolen Bases | 70 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .291 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .410 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .610 | .484 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.020 | .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Aaron Judge outpaces Matt Kemp 37,037 to 14,253 — driven by per-season impact — 3,704 PIV per season to 891 — rather than by longevity, since Aaron Judge played 10 seasons to Matt Kemp'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).
Aaron Judge — top 3 seasons by OPS
Matt Kemp — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Aaron Judge leads in home runs, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Matt Kemp owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Aaron Judge. PIV agrees: Aaron Judge grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Aaron Judge and Matt Kemp careers compare
Aaron Judge and Matt Kemp were active at the same time between 2016 and 2020. The two careers are close in length, 1,211 games for Aaron Judge and 1,750 for Matt Kemp across 10 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Aaron Judge struck out more than walked (1,454 to 860); Matt Kemp struck out more than walked (1,641 to 518). Aaron Judge is the more power-leaning hitter, with 386 of 1,262 hits leaving the park. Matt Kemp was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Aaron Judge holds the edge, .610 to .484. Because Aaron Judge is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Aaron Judge vs Matt Kemp: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Aaron Judge or Matt Kemp?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Matt Kemp leads Aaron Judge in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Aaron Judge or Matt Kemp hit more home runs?
- Aaron Judge, with 386 to Matt Kemp's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Aaron Judge, with 1.020 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Aaron Judge, with .291 to Matt Kemp's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Aaron Judge's 1,262.