Rafael Palmeiro vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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). Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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
Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 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? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Rafael Palmeiro
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rafael Palmeiro 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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rafael Palmeiro | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,831 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 10,472 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,663 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 3,020 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 585 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 569 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,835 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,353 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,348 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 97 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro edges Pete Rose 42,814 to 40,772 — driven by per-season impact — 2,141 PIV per season to 1,631 — rather than by longevity, since Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons to Pete Rose's 25. 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Rafael Palmeiro owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. Note that PIV actually grades Rafael Palmeiro ahead, which means Pete Rose's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rafael Palmeiro and Pete Rose careers compare
Rafael Palmeiro and Pete Rose were active at the same time between 1986 and 1986. With 2,831 games against 3,562 across 20 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Rafael Palmeiro are home runs (569 to 160), RBI (1,835 to 1,314), and slugging percentage (.515 to .409). Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts); Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Rafael Palmeiro's hits: 569 of 3,020 for Rafael Palmeiro, 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Rafael Palmeiro vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rafael Palmeiro or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Rafael Palmeiro in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rafael Palmeiro or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.