Hunter Pence vs Justin Upton: Career Stats Comparison
Justin Upton has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 as a hitter; Justin Upton played 2007–2022 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
Hunter Pence (2007–2020) and Justin Upton (2007–2022) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Hunter Pence finished with 1,791 hits and 244 home runs; Justin Upton finished with 1,754 hits and 325 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Justin Upton, with 325 to Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS? Justin Upton, with .812 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hunter Pence, with .279 to Justin Upton's .261.
- Who had more hits? Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Justin Upton's 1,754.
- Who drove in more runs? Justin Upton, with 1,003 to Hunter Pence's 942.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Justin Upton, with 15,786 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Hunter Pence, with 2 World Series titles to Justin Upton's 0.
Hunter Pence
Justin Upton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hunter Pence and Justin Upton. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hunter Pence | Justin Upton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,707 | Leads: 1,845 |
| At-Bats | 6,420 | Leads: 6,721 |
| Runs | 891 | Leads: 1,058 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,791 | 1,754 |
| Doubles | 324 | Leads: 350 |
| Triples | Leads: 55 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 244 | Leads: 325 |
| RBI | 942 | Leads: 1,003 |
| Walks | 520 | Leads: 785 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,335 | 1,971 |
| Stolen Bases | 120 | Leads: 151 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .261 |
| On-Base % | .334 | Leads: .342 |
| Slugging % | .461 | Leads: .469 |
| OPS | .794 | Leads: .812 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Justin Upton outpaces Hunter Pence 15,786 to 10,190 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 929 PIV per season to 637, across 17 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).
Hunter Pence — top 3 seasons by OPS
Justin Upton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Justin Upton leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Hunter Pence owns hits and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Justin Upton. PIV agrees: Justin Upton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hunter Pence and Justin Upton careers compare
Hunter Pence and Justin Upton were active at the same time between 2007 and 2020. The two careers are close in length, 1,707 games for Hunter Pence and 1,845 for Justin Upton across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Hunter Pence are hits (1,791 to 1,754), triples (55 to 38), and batting average (.279 to .261). Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520); Justin Upton struck out more than walked (1,971 to 785). Justin Upton is the more power-leaning hitter, with 325 of 1,754 hits leaving the park. Justin Upton was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Hunter Pence vs Justin Upton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hunter Pence or Justin Upton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Justin Upton leads Hunter Pence in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hunter Pence or Justin Upton hit more home runs?
- Justin Upton, with 325 to Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Justin Upton, with .812 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hunter Pence, with .279 to Justin Upton's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Justin Upton's 1,754.