Mike Piazza vs Ichiro Suzuki: Career Stats Comparison
Ichiro Suzuki 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). Mike Piazza played 1992–2007 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
Mike Piazza (1992–2007) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001–2019) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mike Piazza finished with 2,127 hits and 427 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? Mike Piazza, with 427 to Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Piazza, with .922 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Mike Piazza's .308.
- Who had more hits? Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Mike Piazza's 2,127.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Piazza, with 1,335 to Ichiro Suzuki's 780.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Piazza, with 30,988 career PIV to Ichiro Suzuki's 6,671.
Mike Piazza
Ichiro Suzuki
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mike Piazza 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 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mike Piazza | Ichiro Suzuki |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,912 | Leads: 2,653 |
| At-Bats | 6,911 | Leads: 9,934 |
| Runs | 1,048 | Leads: 1,420 |
| Hits | 2,127 | Leads: 3,089 |
| Doubles | 344 | Leads: 362 |
| Triples | 8 | Leads: 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 427 | 117 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,335 | 780 |
| Walks | Leads: 759 | 647 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,113 | 1,080 |
| Stolen Bases | 17 | Leads: 509 |
| Batting Avg | .308 | Leads: .311 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .377 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .545 | .402 |
| OPS | Leads: .922 | .757 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Piazza outpaces Ichiro Suzuki 30,988 to 6,671 — driven by per-season impact — 1,722 PIV per season to 334 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Piazza played 18 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).
Mike Piazza — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ichiro Suzuki — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Piazza leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Ichiro Suzuki owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Piazza. PIV agrees: Mike Piazza grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mike Piazza and Ichiro Suzuki careers compare
Mike Piazza and Ichiro Suzuki were active at the same time between 2001 and 2007. With 1,912 games against 2,653 across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Mike Piazza struck out more than walked (1,113 to 759), and Ichiro Suzuki struck out more than walked (1,080 to 647). Mike Piazza is the more power-leaning hitter, with 427 of 2,127 hits leaving the park. Ichiro Suzuki was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Mike Piazza holds the edge, .545 to .402.
Mike Piazza vs Ichiro Suzuki: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mike Piazza or Ichiro Suzuki?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ichiro Suzuki leads Mike Piazza in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mike Piazza or Ichiro Suzuki hit more home runs?
- Mike Piazza, with 427 to Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Piazza, with .922 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Mike Piazza's .308.
- Who had more hits?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Mike Piazza's 2,127.