Willie McCovey vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Willie McCovey and Jim Rice are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 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
Willie McCovey (1959–1980) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 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? Willie McCovey, with 521 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie McCovey, with .889 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
Willie McCovey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie McCovey 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 1950s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Willie McCovey | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,588 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats | 8,197 | Leads: 8,225 |
| Runs | 1,229 | Leads: 1,249 |
| Hits | 2,211 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | 353 | Leads: 373 |
| Triples | 46 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 521 | 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,555 | 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,345 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,550 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | 26 | Leads: 58 |
| Batting Avg | .270 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .374 | .352 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .502 |
| OPS | Leads: .889 | .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey outpaces Jim Rice 47,331 to 31,418 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,058 PIV per season to 1,964, across 23 seasons to 16. 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).
Willie McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie McCovey leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Jim Rice owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie McCovey. PIV agrees: Willie McCovey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie McCovey and Jim Rice careers compare
From 1974 through 1980, Willie McCovey and Jim Rice were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,588 games for Willie McCovey and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 23 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345); Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Willie McCovey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 521 of 2,211 hits leaving the park. Willie McCovey owns the better peak by OPS: 1.108 OPS in 1969 for Willie McCovey against .977 OPS in 1979 for Jim Rice.
Willie McCovey vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Willie McCovey or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie McCovey, with .889 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.