Matt Kemp vs Hunter Pence: Career Stats Comparison
Matt Kemp 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). Matt Kemp played 2006–2020 as a hitter; Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 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
Matt Kemp (2006–2020) and Hunter Pence (2007–2020) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Matt Kemp finished with 1,808 hits and 287 home runs; Hunter Pence finished with 1,791 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Kemp, with 287 to Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS? Matt Kemp, with .821 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Matt Kemp, with .284 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits? Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Hunter Pence's 1,791.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Kemp, with 1,031 to Hunter Pence's 942.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Matt Kemp, with 14,253 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Hunter Pence, with 2 World Series titles to Matt Kemp's 0.
Matt Kemp
Hunter Pence
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Matt Kemp and Hunter Pence. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Matt Kemp | Hunter Pence |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,750 | 1,707 |
| At-Bats | 6,365 | Leads: 6,420 |
| Runs | Leads: 950 | 891 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,808 | 1,791 |
| Doubles | Leads: 338 | 324 |
| Triples | 37 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 287 | 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,031 | 942 |
| Walks | 518 | Leads: 520 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,641 | 1,335 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 120 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .337 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .461 |
| OPS | Leads: .821 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Matt Kemp outpaces Hunter Pence 14,253 to 10,190 — driven by per-season impact — 891 PIV per season to 637 — rather than by longevity, since Matt Kemp played 16 seasons to Hunter Pence'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).
Matt Kemp — top 3 seasons by OPS
Hunter Pence — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Matt Kemp leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hunter Pence owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Matt Kemp. PIV agrees: Matt Kemp grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Matt Kemp and Hunter Pence careers compare
The careers of Matt Kemp (2006–2020) and Hunter Pence (2007–2020) overlapped from 2007 to 2020, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,750 games against 1,707 across 16 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Hunter Pence are at-bats (6,420 to 6,365), triples (55 to 37), and walks (520 to 518). Matt Kemp struck out more than walked (1,641 to 518); Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520). On the bases, Matt Kemp stole more often per game played (184 steals in 1,750 games for Matt Kemp, 120 in 1,707 for Hunter Pence).
Matt Kemp vs Hunter Pence: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Matt Kemp or Hunter Pence?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Matt Kemp leads Hunter Pence in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Matt Kemp or Hunter Pence hit more home runs?
- Matt Kemp, with 287 to Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Matt Kemp, with .821 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Matt Kemp, with .284 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Hunter Pence's 1,791.