Tim Raines vs Sammy Sosa: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Raines has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Tim Raines played 1979–2002 as a hitter; Sammy Sosa played 1989–2007 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
Tim Raines (1979–2002) and Sammy Sosa (1989–2007) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 home runs; Sammy Sosa finished with 2,408 hits and 609 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Sammy Sosa, with 609 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Sammy Sosa, with .878 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tim Raines, with .294 to Sammy Sosa's .273.
- Who had more hits? Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Sammy Sosa's 2,408.
- Who drove in more runs? Sammy Sosa, with 1,667 to Tim Raines's 980.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Sammy Sosa, with 30,009 career PIV to Tim Raines's 25,763.
- Who won more championships? Tim Raines, with 2 World Series titles to Sammy Sosa's 0.
Tim Raines
Sammy Sosa
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tim Raines and Sammy Sosa. 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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tim Raines | Sammy Sosa |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,502 | 2,354 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,872 | 8,813 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,571 | 1,475 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,605 | 2,408 |
| Doubles | Leads: 430 | 379 |
| Triples | Leads: 113 | 45 |
| Home Runs | 170 | Leads: 609 |
| RBI | 980 | Leads: 1,667 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,330 | 929 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 966 | 2,306 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 808 | 234 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .385 | .344 |
| Slugging % | .425 | Leads: .534 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sammy Sosa leads Tim Raines 30,009 to 25,763 — driven by per-season impact — 1,579 PIV per season to 1,073 — rather than by longevity, since Sammy Sosa played 19 seasons to Tim Raines's 24. 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).
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Sammy Sosa — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Raines leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Sammy Sosa owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Raines. Note that PIV actually grades Sammy Sosa ahead, which means Tim Raines's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Raines and Sammy Sosa careers compare
Tim Raines and Sammy Sosa were active at the same time between 1989 and 2002. The two careers are close in length, 2,502 games for Tim Raines and 2,354 for Sammy Sosa across 24 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Sammy Sosa comes out ahead, it is in home runs (609 to 170), RBI (1,667 to 980), and slugging percentage (.534 to .425). At the plate, Tim Raines walked more often than struck out (1,330 walks, 966 strikeouts), while Sammy Sosa struck out more than walked (2,306 to 929). Sammy Sosa is the more power-leaning hitter, with 609 of 2,408 hits leaving the park.
Tim Raines vs Sammy Sosa: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Raines or Sammy Sosa?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Raines leads Sammy Sosa in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Tim Raines or Sammy Sosa hit more home runs?
- Sammy Sosa, with 609 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Sammy Sosa, with .878 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tim Raines, with .294 to Sammy Sosa's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Sammy Sosa's 2,408.