Lee May vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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). Lee May played 1965–1982 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
Lee May (1965–1982) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lee May finished with 2,031 hits and 354 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? Lee May, with 354 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pete Rose, with .784 to Lee May's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Lee May's .267.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Lee May's 2,031.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Lee May's 1,244.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Lee May's 14,353.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Lee May's 0.
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lee May 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lee May | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,071 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 7,609 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 959 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,031 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 340 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 354 | 160 |
| RBI | 1,244 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 487 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,570 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .313 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .459 | .409 |
| OPS | .772 | Leads: .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Lee May 40,772 to 14,353 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 797, across 25 seasons to 18. 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).
Lee May — 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 stolen bases, while Lee May owns home runs. 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 Lee May and Pete Rose careers compare
From 1965 through 1982, Lee May and Pete Rose were in the majors together. Pete Rose has the far longer record, 3,562 games against 2,071 across 18 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Lee May are home runs (354 to 160) and slugging percentage (.459 to .409). Plate discipline differs: Lee May struck out more than walked (1,570 to 487), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Lee May's hits: 354 of 2,031 for Lee May, 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Lee May vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lee May or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Lee May in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lee May or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Lee May, with 354 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pete Rose, with .784 to Lee May's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Lee May's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Lee May's 2,031.