Rafael Palmeiro vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro 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). Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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
Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 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? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rafael Palmeiro 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rafael Palmeiro | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,831 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,472 | 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,663 | 1,249 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,020 | 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 585 | 373 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 569 | 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,835 | 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,353 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,348 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 97 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .352 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .502 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Jim Rice 42,814 to 31,418 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,141 PIV per season to 1,964, across 20 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).
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jim Rice owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rafael Palmeiro and Jim Rice careers compare
From 1986 through 1989, Rafael Palmeiro and Jim Rice were in the majors together. With 2,831 games against 2,089 across 20 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Jim Rice comes out ahead, it is in triples (79 to 38) and batting average (.298 to .288). At the plate, Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts), while Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Rafael Palmeiro's slugging percentage of .515 tops Jim Rice's .502.
Rafael Palmeiro vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rafael Palmeiro or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Jim Rice in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rafael Palmeiro or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jim Rice's 2,452.