Rafael Palmeiro vs George Sisler: 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). Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 as a hitter; George Sisler played 1915–1930 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 George Sisler (1915–1930) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1910s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs; George Sisler finished with 2,812 hits and 102 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 George Sisler's 102.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to George Sisler's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Sisler, with .340 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to George Sisler's 2,812.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to George Sisler's 1,175.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to George Sisler's 29,261.
Rafael Palmeiro
George Sisler
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rafael Palmeiro and George Sisler. 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 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rafael Palmeiro | George Sisler |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,831 | 2,055 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,472 | 8,267 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,663 | 1,284 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,020 | 2,812 |
| Doubles | Leads: 585 | 425 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 164 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 569 | 102 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,835 | 1,175 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,353 | 472 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,348 | 327 |
| Stolen Bases | 97 | Leads: 375 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .468 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces George Sisler 42,814 to 29,261 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,141 PIV per season to 1,829, 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
George Sisler — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Sisler owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. 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 George Sisler careers compare
George Sisler (1915–1930) was finished before Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,831 games against 2,055 across 20 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where George Sisler comes out ahead, it is in triples (164 to 38), stolen bases (375 to 97), and batting average (.340 to .288). At the plate, Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts), and George Sisler walked more often than struck out (472 walks, 327 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Rafael Palmeiro's hits: 569 of 3,020 for Rafael Palmeiro, 102 of 2,812 for George Sisler.
Rafael Palmeiro vs George Sisler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rafael Palmeiro or George Sisler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads George Sisler in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rafael Palmeiro or George Sisler hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to George Sisler's 102.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to George Sisler's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Sisler, with .340 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to George Sisler's 2,812.