Rafael Palmeiro vs Ichiro Suzuki: 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; Ichiro Suzuki played 2001–2019 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 Ichiro Suzuki (2001–2019) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs; Ichiro Suzuki finished with 3,089 hits and 117 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 Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Ichiro Suzuki's 780.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Ichiro Suzuki's 6,671.
Rafael Palmeiro
Ichiro Suzuki
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rafael Palmeiro and Ichiro Suzuki. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rafael Palmeiro | Ichiro Suzuki |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,831 | 2,653 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,472 | 9,934 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,663 | 1,420 |
| Hits | 3,020 | Leads: 3,089 |
| Doubles | Leads: 585 | 362 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 569 | 117 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,835 | 780 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,353 | 647 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,348 | 1,080 |
| Stolen Bases | 97 | Leads: 509 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .311 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .402 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .757 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Ichiro Suzuki 42,814 to 6,671 — driven by per-season impact — 2,141 PIV per season to 334 — rather than by longevity, since Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons to Ichiro Suzuki'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).
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ichiro Suzuki — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Ichiro Suzuki owns hits, stolen bases, and 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 Ichiro Suzuki careers compare
From 2001 through 2005, Rafael Palmeiro and Ichiro Suzuki were in the majors together. With 2,831 games against 2,653 across 20 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ichiro Suzuki's edges on the table are hits (3,089 to 3,020), triples (96 to 38), and stolen bases (509 to 97). Plate discipline differs: Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts), but Ichiro Suzuki struck out more than walked (1,080 to 647). Home runs make up a larger share of Rafael Palmeiro's hits: 569 of 3,020 for Rafael Palmeiro, 117 of 3,089 for Ichiro Suzuki. Ichiro Suzuki was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Rafael Palmeiro vs Ichiro Suzuki: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rafael Palmeiro or Ichiro Suzuki?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Ichiro Suzuki in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rafael Palmeiro or Ichiro Suzuki hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.