Matt Kemp vs Justin Upton: Career Stats Comparison
Justin Upton 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). Matt Kemp played 2006–2020 as a hitter; Justin Upton played 2007–2022 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 Justin Upton (2007–2022) — 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; Justin Upton finished with 1,754 hits and 325 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Justin Upton, with 325 to Matt Kemp's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Matt Kemp, with .821 to Justin Upton's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average? Matt Kemp, with .284 to Justin Upton's .261.
- Who had more hits? Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Justin Upton's 1,754.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Kemp, with 1,031 to Justin Upton's 1,003.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Justin Upton, with 15,786 career PIV to Matt Kemp's 14,253.
Matt Kemp
Justin Upton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Matt Kemp and Justin Upton. 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 | Justin Upton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,750 | Leads: 1,845 |
| At-Bats | 6,365 | Leads: 6,721 |
| Runs | 950 | Leads: 1,058 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,808 | 1,754 |
| Doubles | 338 | Leads: 350 |
| Triples | 37 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 287 | Leads: 325 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,031 | 1,003 |
| Walks | 518 | Leads: 785 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,641 | 1,971 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 151 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .261 |
| On-Base % | .337 | Leads: .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .469 |
| OPS | Leads: .821 | .812 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Justin Upton leads Matt Kemp 15,786 to 14,253 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 929 PIV per season to 891, across 17 seasons to 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
Justin Upton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Matt Kemp leads in hits, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Justin Upton owns home runs, runs, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Matt Kemp. Note that PIV actually grades Justin Upton ahead, which means Matt Kemp's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Matt Kemp and Justin Upton careers compare
Matt Kemp and Justin Upton were active at the same time between 2007 and 2020. With 1,750 games against 1,845 across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Matt Kemp struck out more than walked (1,641 to 518); Justin Upton struck out more than walked (1,971 to 785). Matt Kemp was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Matt Kemp's slugging percentage of .484 tops Justin Upton's .469. On the peak-season lists, Matt Kemp's best year is 2011 at .986 OPS and Justin Upton's is 2017 at .904 OPS; Matt Kemp has the stronger single season.
Matt Kemp vs Justin Upton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Matt Kemp or Justin Upton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Justin Upton leads Matt Kemp in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Matt Kemp or Justin Upton hit more home runs?
- Justin Upton, with 325 to Matt Kemp's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Matt Kemp, with .821 to Justin Upton's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Matt Kemp, with .284 to Justin Upton's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Justin Upton's 1,754.