Barry Larkin vs Paul Molitor: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Molitor has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 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
Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Paul Molitor (1978–1998) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 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? Paul Molitor, with 234 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Molitor, with .817 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits? Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Molitor, with 1,307 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Molitor, with 29,073 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Barry Larkin
Paul Molitor
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Paul Molitor |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,180 | Leads: 2,683 |
| At-Bats | 7,937 | Leads: 10,835 |
| Runs | 1,329 | Leads: 1,782 |
| Hits | 2,340 | Leads: 3,319 |
| Doubles | 441 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 76 | Leads: 114 |
| Home Runs | 198 | Leads: 234 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,307 |
| Walks | 939 | Leads: 1,094 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,244 |
| Stolen Bases | 379 | Leads: 504 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .369 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .448 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Molitor outpaces Barry Larkin 29,073 to 17,788 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,384 PIV per season to 936, 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).
Barry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Molitor — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Molitor leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Barry Larkin owns OBP. 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 Barry Larkin and Paul Molitor careers compare
From 1986 through 1998, Barry Larkin and Paul Molitor were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Barry Larkin and 2,683 for Paul Molitor across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Barry Larkin are on-base percentage (.371 to .369). At the plate, Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts), while Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094). Paul Molitor was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Barry Larkin holds the edge, .371 to .369.
Barry Larkin vs Paul Molitor: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Paul Molitor?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Molitor leads Barry Larkin in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Paul Molitor hit more home runs?
- Paul Molitor, with 234 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Molitor, with .817 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.