Jeff Kent vs Paul Molitor: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Molitor 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). Jeff Kent played 1992–2008 as a hitter; Paul Molitor played 1978–1998 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
Jeff Kent (1992–2008) and Paul Molitor (1978–1998) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jeff Kent finished with 2,461 hits and 377 home runs; Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits and 234 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jeff Kent, with 377 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Kent, with .855 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits? Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Jeff Kent's 2,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Jeff Kent, with 1,518 to Paul Molitor's 1,307.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Molitor, with 29,073 career PIV to Jeff Kent's 22,166.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Jeff Kent
Paul Molitor
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Kent and Paul Molitor. 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 1990s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Kent | Paul Molitor |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,298 | Leads: 2,683 |
| At-Bats | 8,498 | Leads: 10,835 |
| Runs | 1,320 | Leads: 1,782 |
| Hits | 2,461 | Leads: 3,319 |
| Doubles | 560 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 114 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 377 | 234 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,518 | 1,307 |
| Walks | 801 | Leads: 1,094 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,522 | 1,244 |
| Stolen Bases | 94 | Leads: 504 |
| Batting Avg | .290 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .369 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .448 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Molitor leads Jeff Kent 29,073 to 22,166 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,384 PIV per season to 1,167, across 21 seasons to 19. 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).
Jeff Kent — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Molitor — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Molitor leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Jeff Kent owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Molitor. PIV agrees: Paul Molitor grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jeff Kent and Paul Molitor careers compare
From 1992 through 1998, Jeff Kent and Paul Molitor were in the majors together. With 2,298 games against 2,683 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Jeff Kent are home runs (377 to 234), RBI (1,518 to 1,307), and slugging percentage (.500 to .448). Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801); Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094). Home runs make up a larger share of Jeff Kent's hits: 377 of 2,461 for Jeff Kent, 234 of 3,319 for Paul Molitor. Paul Molitor was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Jeff Kent vs Paul Molitor: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Kent or Paul Molitor?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Molitor leads Jeff Kent in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Kent or Paul Molitor hit more home runs?
- Jeff Kent, with 377 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Kent, with .855 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Jeff Kent's 2,461.