Barry Larkin vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice 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). Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 as a hitter; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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 Jim Rice (1974–1989) — 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; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Rice, with 382 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Barry Larkin, with 1 World Series title to Jim Rice's 0.
Barry Larkin
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin and Jim Rice. 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 | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats | 7,937 | Leads: 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 1,249 |
| Hits | 2,340 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 373 |
| Triples | 76 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | 198 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice outpaces Barry Larkin 31,418 to 17,788 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 936 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Barry Larkin's 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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Rice leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Barry Larkin owns runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Rice. PIV agrees: Jim Rice 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 Jim Rice careers compare
From 1986 through 1989, Barry Larkin and Jim Rice were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Barry Larkin and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts), but Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim Rice's hits: 198 of 2,340 for Barry Larkin, 382 of 2,452 for Jim Rice. Barry Larkin was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Barry Larkin vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Barry Larkin in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.