Jeff Kent vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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 Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jeff Kent finished with 2,461 hits and 377 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Jeff Kent's 377.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Jeff Kent's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jeff Kent, with .290 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jeff Kent's 2,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Jeff Kent's 1,518.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Jeff Kent's 22,166.
- Who won more championships? Jeff Kent, with 1 World Series title to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Jeff Kent
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Kent and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Kent | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,298 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 8,498 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,320 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,461 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 560 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 377 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,518 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 801 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,522 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 94 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .290 | .288 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Jeff Kent 42,814 to 22,166 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,141 PIV per season to 1,167, across 20 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
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jeff Kent owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro 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 Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
Jeff Kent and Rafael Palmeiro were active at the same time between 1992 and 2005. With 2,298 games against 2,831 across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jeff Kent's edges on the table are triples (47 to 38) and batting average (.290 to .288). At the plate, Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Rafael Palmeiro owns the better peak by OPS: 1.021 OPS in 2000 for Jeff Kent against 1.050 OPS in 1999 for Rafael Palmeiro.
Jeff Kent vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Kent or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Jeff Kent in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Kent or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Jeff Kent's 377.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Jeff Kent's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jeff Kent, with .290 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jeff Kent's 2,461.