Matt Kemp vs Ben Zobrist: Career Stats Comparison
Matt Kemp has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Ben Zobrist played 2006–2019 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 Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) — 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; Ben Zobrist finished with 1,566 hits and 167 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 Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS? Matt Kemp, with .821 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average? Matt Kemp, with .284 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits? Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Kemp, with 1,031 to Ben Zobrist's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Matt Kemp, with 14,253 career PIV to Ben Zobrist's 10,712.
- Who won more championships? Ben Zobrist, with 2 World Series titles to Matt Kemp's 0.
Matt Kemp
Ben Zobrist
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Matt Kemp and Ben Zobrist. 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 | Ben Zobrist |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,750 | 1,651 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,365 | 5,880 |
| Runs | Leads: 950 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,808 | 1,566 |
| Doubles | 338 | Leads: 349 |
| Triples | 37 | Leads: 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 287 | 167 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,031 | 768 |
| Walks | 518 | Leads: 832 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,641 | 994 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 116 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .266 |
| On-Base % | .337 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .426 |
| OPS | Leads: .821 | .783 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Matt Kemp leads Ben Zobrist 14,253 to 10,712 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 891 PIV per season to 714, across 16 seasons to 15. 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
Ben Zobrist — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Matt Kemp leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ben Zobrist owns OBP. 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 Ben Zobrist careers compare
Matt Kemp and Ben Zobrist were active at the same time between 2006 and 2019. The two careers are close in length, 1,750 games for Matt Kemp and 1,651 for Ben Zobrist across 16 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Ben Zobrist comes out ahead, it is in doubles (349 to 338), triples (44 to 37), and walks (832 to 518). At the plate, Matt Kemp struck out more than walked (1,641 to 518), and Ben Zobrist struck out more than walked (994 to 832). Home runs make up a larger share of Matt Kemp's hits: 287 of 1,808 for Matt Kemp, 167 of 1,566 for Ben Zobrist.
Matt Kemp vs Ben Zobrist: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Matt Kemp or Ben Zobrist?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Matt Kemp leads Ben Zobrist in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Matt Kemp or Ben Zobrist hit more home runs?
- Matt Kemp, with 287 to Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Matt Kemp, with .821 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Matt Kemp, with .284 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Matt Kemp, with 1,808 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.