Paul Molitor vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Paul Molitor played 1978–1998 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
Paul Molitor (1978–1998) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits and 234 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? Paul Molitor, with 234 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Molitor, with .817 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Pete Rose's .303.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Paul Molitor's 3,319.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Paul Molitor's 1,307.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Paul Molitor's 29,073.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Paul Molitor's 1.
Paul Molitor
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Molitor 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Paul Molitor | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,683 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 10,835 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,782 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 3,319 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 605 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 114 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 234 | 160 |
| RBI | 1,307 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,094 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,244 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 504 | 198 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .303 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .448 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .817 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Paul Molitor 40,772 to 29,073 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 1,384, across 25 seasons to 21. 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).
Paul Molitor — 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 OBP, while Paul Molitor owns home runs, stolen bases, and batting average. 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 Paul Molitor and Pete Rose careers compare
From 1978 through 1986, Paul Molitor and Pete Rose were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,683 games for Paul Molitor and 3,562 for Pete Rose across 21 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Paul Molitor's hits: 234 of 3,319 for Paul Molitor, 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose. Paul Molitor was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Paul Molitor vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Molitor or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Paul Molitor in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Molitor or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Paul Molitor, with 234 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Molitor, with .817 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Pete Rose's .303.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Paul Molitor's 3,319.