Matt Kemp vs Christian Yelich: Career Stats Comparison
Christian Yelich 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; Christian Yelich has played 2013–present 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 Christian Yelich (2013–present) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Matt Kemp finished with 1,808 hits and 287 home runs; Christian Yelich has 1,845 hits and 245 home runs through October 12, 2026. 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 Christian Yelich's 245.
- Who had the higher OPS? Christian Yelich, with .829 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Matt Kemp, with .284 to Christian Yelich's .282.
- Who had more hits? Christian Yelich, with 1,845 to Matt Kemp's 1,808.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Kemp, with 1,031 to Christian Yelich's 910.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Christian Yelich, with 20,940 career PIV to Matt Kemp's 14,253.
Matt Kemp
Christian Yelich
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Matt Kemp and Christian Yelich. 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 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Christian Yelich is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Matt Kemp | Christian Yelich |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,750 | 1,734 |
| At-Bats | 6,365 | Leads: 6,550 |
| Runs | 950 | Leads: 1,102 |
| Hits | 1,808 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Doubles | 338 | Leads: 350 |
| Triples | 37 | 37 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 287 | 245 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,031 | 910 |
| Walks | 518 | Leads: 883 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,641 | 1,683 |
| Stolen Bases | 184 | Leads: 232 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .337 | Leads: .370 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .459 |
| OPS | .821 | Leads: .829 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christian Yelich outpaces Matt Kemp 20,940 to 14,253 — driven by per-season impact — 1,611 PIV per season to 891 — rather than by longevity, since Christian Yelich played 13 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).
Matt Kemp — top 3 seasons by OPS
Christian Yelich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Christian Yelich leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Matt Kemp owns home runs, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Christian Yelich. PIV agrees: Christian Yelich 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 Christian Yelich careers compare
Matt Kemp and Christian Yelich were active at the same time between 2013 and 2020. The two careers are close in length, 1,750 games for Matt Kemp and 1,734 for Christian Yelich across 16 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Matt Kemp struck out more than walked (1,641 to 518); Christian Yelich struck out more than walked (1,683 to 883). On the bases, Christian Yelich stole more often per game played (184 steals in 1,750 games for Matt Kemp, 232 in 1,734 for Christian Yelich). Christian Yelich's on-base percentage of .370 tops Matt Kemp's .337. Because Christian Yelich is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Matt Kemp vs Christian Yelich: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Matt Kemp or Christian Yelich?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christian Yelich leads Matt Kemp in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Matt Kemp or Christian Yelich hit more home runs?
- Matt Kemp, with 287 to Christian Yelich's 245.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Christian Yelich, with .829 to Matt Kemp's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Matt Kemp, with .284 to Christian Yelich's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Christian Yelich, with 1,845 to Matt Kemp's 1,808.