David Ortiz vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro 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). David Ortiz played 1997–2016 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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
David Ortiz (1997–2016) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. David Ortiz finished with 2,472 hits and 541 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to David Ortiz's 541.
- Who had the higher OPS? David Ortiz, with .931 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to David Ortiz's .286.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to David Ortiz's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to David Ortiz's 1,768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? David Ortiz, with 46,358 career PIV to Rafael Palmeiro's 42,814.
- Who won more championships? David Ortiz, with 3 World Series titles to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
David Ortiz
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for David Ortiz and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | David Ortiz | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,408 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 8,640 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,419 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,472 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 632 | 585 |
| Triples | 19 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 541 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,768 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 1,319 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,750 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 17 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | .286 | Leads: .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .552 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: .931 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Ortiz edges Rafael Palmeiro 46,358 to 42,814 — driven by per-season impact — 2,318 PIV per season to 2,141 — rather than by longevity, since David Ortiz played 20 seasons to Rafael Palmeiro's 20. 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).
David Ortiz — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while David Ortiz owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. Note that PIV actually grades David Ortiz ahead, which means Rafael Palmeiro's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the David Ortiz and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
From 1997 through 2005, David Ortiz and Rafael Palmeiro were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,408 games for David Ortiz and 2,831 for Rafael Palmeiro across 20 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. David Ortiz's edges on the table are doubles (632 to 585), on-base percentage (.380 to .371), and slugging percentage (.552 to .515). Plate discipline differs: David Ortiz struck out more than walked (1,750 to 1,319), but Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). David Ortiz's slugging percentage of .552 tops Rafael Palmeiro's .515.
David Ortiz vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Ortiz or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads David Ortiz in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did David Ortiz or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to David Ortiz's 541.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- David Ortiz, with .931 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to David Ortiz's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to David Ortiz's 2,472.