Rafael Palmeiro vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Dave Winfield played 1973–1995 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 Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — 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; Dave Winfield finished with 3,110 hits and 465 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 Dave Winfield's 465.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Dave Winfield's 1,833.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Dave Winfield's 34,842.
- Who won more championships? Dave Winfield, with 1 World Series title to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Rafael Palmeiro
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rafael Palmeiro and Dave Winfield. 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 | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,831 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 10,472 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 1,663 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 3,020 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | Leads: 585 | 540 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 569 | 465 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,835 | 1,833 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,353 | 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,348 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | 97 | Leads: 223 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .353 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .475 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro leads Dave Winfield 42,814 to 34,842 — driven by per-season impact — 2,141 PIV per season to 1,515 — rather than by longevity, since Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons to Dave Winfield's 23. 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
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Dave Winfield owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Dave Winfield careers compare
Rafael Palmeiro and Dave Winfield were active at the same time between 1986 and 1995. The two careers are close in length, 2,831 games for Rafael Palmeiro and 2,973 for Dave Winfield across 20 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts), but Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216). On the bases, Dave Winfield stole more often per game played (97 steals in 2,831 games for Rafael Palmeiro, 223 in 2,973 for Dave Winfield). Rafael Palmeiro's slugging percentage of .515 tops Dave Winfield's .475.
Rafael Palmeiro vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rafael Palmeiro or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Dave Winfield in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rafael Palmeiro or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Dave Winfield's 465.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.