Aaron Judge vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice 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; 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
Aaron Judge (2016–present) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Aaron Judge has 1,262 hits and 386 home runs through October 12, 2026; 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 hit more home runs? Aaron Judge, with 386 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Aaron Judge, with 1.020 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Aaron Judge's .291.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Aaron Judge's 1,262.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Aaron Judge's 871.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Aaron Judge, with 37,037 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
Aaron Judge
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Aaron Judge and Jim Rice. 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 1970s 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 | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,211 | Leads: 2,089 |
| At-Bats | 4,342 | Leads: 8,225 |
| Runs | 918 | Leads: 1,249 |
| Hits | 1,262 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | 213 | Leads: 373 |
| Triples | 7 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 386 | 382 |
| RBI | 871 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 860 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,454 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 70 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .291 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .410 | .352 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .610 | .502 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.020 | .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Aaron Judge leads Jim Rice 37,037 to 31,418 — driven by per-season impact — 3,704 PIV per season to 1,964 — rather than by longevity, since Aaron Judge played 10 seasons to Jim Rice'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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Aaron Judge leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Jim Rice 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 Jim Rice careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Jim Rice's ended in 1989, and Aaron Judge debuted in 2016. The table compares 1,211 games of Aaron Judge with 2,089 of Jim Rice across 10 and 16 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Aaron Judge struck out more than walked (1,454 to 860); Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Aaron Judge is the more power-leaning hitter, with 386 of 1,262 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Aaron Judge holds the edge, .610 to .502. Best seasons: 2024 for Aaron Judge (1.159 OPS, 58 HR, 144 RBI, .322 avg) and 1979 for Jim Rice (.977 OPS, 39 HR, 130 RBI, .325 avg). Because Aaron Judge is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Aaron Judge vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Aaron Judge or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Aaron Judge in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Aaron Judge or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Aaron Judge, with 386 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Aaron Judge, with 1.020 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Aaron Judge's .291.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Aaron Judge's 1,262.