Barry Larkin vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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). Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Barry Larkin, with 198 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Larkin, with .815 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Barry Larkin's 1.
Barry Larkin
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin and Pete Rose. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,180 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 7,937 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,329 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,340 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 441 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 76 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 198 | 160 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 939 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 198 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .444 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Barry Larkin 40,772 to 17,788 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 936, across 25 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Barry Larkin owns home runs, stolen bases, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
The careers of Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) overlapped from 1986 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Pete Rose has the far longer record, 3,562 games against 2,180 across 19 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Barry Larkin comes out ahead, it is in home runs (198 to 160), stolen bases (379 to 198), and slugging percentage (.444 to .409). Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts); Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Barry Larkin is the more power-leaning hitter, with 198 of 2,340 hits leaving the park.
Barry Larkin vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Barry Larkin in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Barry Larkin, with 198 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Larkin, with .815 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.