Rafael Palmeiro vs Jim Thome: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 as a hitter; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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 Thome (1991–2012) — they debuted in the 1980s and the 1990s respectively and share 15 seasons. Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Rafael Palmeiro, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Rafael Palmeiro's 569.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jim Thome's 2,328.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Jim Thome's 1,699.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Rafael Palmeiro's 42,814.
Rafael Palmeiro
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rafael Palmeiro and Jim Thome. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rafael Palmeiro | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,831 | 2,543 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,472 | 8,422 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,663 | 1,583 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,020 | 2,328 |
| Doubles | Leads: 585 | 451 |
| Triples | Leads: 38 | 26 |
| Home Runs | 569 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,835 | 1,699 |
| Walks | 1,353 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,348 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 97 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .402 |
| Slugging % | .515 | Leads: .554 |
| OPS | .885 | Leads: .956 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome leads Rafael Palmeiro 51,664 to 42,814 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,348 PIV per season to 2,141, across 22 seasons to 20. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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 Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Rafael Palmeiro leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Jim Thome leads 5: home runs, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Jim Thome higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rafael Palmeiro and Jim Thome careers compare
Rafael Palmeiro and Jim Thome were active at the same time between 1991 and 2005. With 2,831 games against 2,543 across 20 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts), but Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim Thome's hits: 569 of 3,020 for Rafael Palmeiro, 612 of 2,328 for Jim Thome. In on-base percentage, Jim Thome holds the edge, .402 to .371.
Rafael Palmeiro vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rafael Palmeiro or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Jim Thome in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Rafael Palmeiro or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Rafael Palmeiro's 569.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jim Thome's 2,328.