Kirby Puckett vs Tim Raines: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Raines has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Kirby Puckett played 1984–1995 as a hitter; Tim Raines played 1979–2002 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
Kirby Puckett (1984–1995) and Tim Raines (1979–2002) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Kirby Puckett finished with 2,304 hits and 207 home runs; Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Kirby Puckett, with 207 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kirby Puckett, with .837 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Tim Raines's .294.
- Who had more hits? Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Kirby Puckett's 2,304.
- Who drove in more runs? Kirby Puckett, with 1,085 to Tim Raines's 980.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tim Raines, with 25,763 career PIV to Kirby Puckett's 22,719.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Kirby Puckett
Tim Raines
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Kirby Puckett and Tim Raines. 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 | Kirby Puckett | Tim Raines |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,783 | Leads: 2,502 |
| At-Bats | 7,244 | Leads: 8,872 |
| Runs | 1,071 | Leads: 1,571 |
| Hits | 2,304 | Leads: 2,605 |
| Doubles | 414 | Leads: 430 |
| Triples | 57 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 207 | 170 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,085 | 980 |
| Walks | 450 | Leads: 1,330 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 965 | 966 |
| Stolen Bases | 134 | Leads: 808 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .318 | .294 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .477 | .425 |
| OPS | Leads: .837 | .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Raines leads Kirby Puckett 25,763 to 22,719 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tim Raines played 24 seasons to Kirby Puckett's 12, while Kirby Puckett carries the higher per-season figure (1,893 to 1,073). 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).
Kirby Puckett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Raines leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Kirby Puckett owns home runs, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Raines. PIV agrees: Tim Raines grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kirby Puckett and Tim Raines careers compare
The careers of Kirby Puckett (1984–1995) and Tim Raines (1979–2002) overlapped from 1984 to 1995, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,783 games against 2,502 across 12 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Kirby Puckett struck out more than walked (965 to 450), while Tim Raines walked more often than struck out (1,330 walks, 966 strikeouts). Kirby Puckett is the more power-leaning hitter, with 207 of 2,304 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Tim Raines stole more often per game played (134 steals in 1,783 games for Kirby Puckett, 808 in 2,502 for Tim Raines).
Kirby Puckett vs Tim Raines: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kirby Puckett or Tim Raines?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Raines leads Kirby Puckett in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Kirby Puckett or Tim Raines hit more home runs?
- Kirby Puckett, with 207 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kirby Puckett, with .837 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Tim Raines's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Kirby Puckett's 2,304.