Jim Rice vs Brooks Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice 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). Jim Rice played 1974–1989 as a hitter; Brooks Robinson played 1955–1977 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
Jim Rice (1974–1989) and Brooks Robinson (1955–1977) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs; Brooks Robinson finished with 2,848 hits and 268 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Rice, with 382 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits? Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Brooks Robinson's 1,357.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Brooks Robinson's 9,441.
- Who won more championships? Brooks Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to Jim Rice's 0.
Brooks Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Rice and Brooks Robinson. 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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Rice | Brooks Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,089 | Leads: 2,896 |
| At-Bats | 8,225 | Leads: 10,654 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,249 | 1,232 |
| Hits | 2,452 | Leads: 2,848 |
| Doubles | 373 | Leads: 482 |
| Triples | Leads: 79 | 68 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 268 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,451 | 1,357 |
| Walks | 670 | Leads: 860 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,423 | 990 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 58 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .352 | .322 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .502 | .401 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .723 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice outpaces Brooks Robinson 31,418 to 9,441 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 410 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Brooks Robinson'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).
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Brooks Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Rice leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Brooks Robinson owns hits. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Rice. PIV agrees: Jim Rice grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Rice and Brooks Robinson careers compare
Jim Rice and Brooks Robinson were active at the same time between 1974 and 1977. With 2,089 games against 2,896 across 16 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670); Brooks Robinson struck out more than walked (990 to 860). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim Rice's hits: 382 of 2,452 for Jim Rice, 268 of 2,848 for Brooks Robinson. In slugging percentage, Jim Rice holds the edge, .502 to .401. Jim Rice owns the better peak by OPS: .977 OPS in 1979 for Jim Rice against .889 OPS in 1964 for Brooks Robinson.
Jim Rice vs Brooks Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Rice or Brooks Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Brooks Robinson in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jim Rice or Brooks Robinson hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Brooks Robinson's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Jim Rice's 2,452.