Jim Rice vs Gary Sheffield: Career Stats Comparison
Gary Sheffield has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Gary Sheffield played 1988–2009 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 Gary Sheffield (1988–2009) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs; Gary Sheffield finished with 2,689 hits and 509 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Gary Sheffield, with 509 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gary Sheffield, with .907 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Gary Sheffield's .292.
- Who had more hits? Gary Sheffield, with 2,689 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Gary Sheffield, with 1,676 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gary Sheffield, with 44,001 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
- Who won more championships? Gary Sheffield, with 1 World Series title to Jim Rice's 0.
Gary Sheffield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Rice and Gary Sheffield. 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 | Jim Rice | Gary Sheffield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,089 | Leads: 2,576 |
| At-Bats | 8,225 | Leads: 9,217 |
| Runs | 1,249 | Leads: 1,636 |
| Hits | 2,452 | Leads: 2,689 |
| Doubles | 373 | Leads: 467 |
| Triples | Leads: 79 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 509 |
| RBI | 1,451 | Leads: 1,676 |
| Walks | 670 | Leads: 1,475 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,423 | 1,171 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 253 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .292 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .393 |
| Slugging % | .502 | Leads: .514 |
| OPS | .854 | Leads: .907 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gary Sheffield outpaces Jim Rice 44,001 to 31,418 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gary Sheffield played 24 seasons to Jim Rice's 16, while Jim Rice carries the higher per-season figure (1,964 to 1,833). 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
Gary Sheffield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gary Sheffield leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jim Rice owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gary Sheffield. PIV agrees: Gary Sheffield 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 Gary Sheffield careers compare
From 1988 through 1989, Jim Rice and Gary Sheffield were in the majors together. With 2,089 games against 2,576 across 16 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jim Rice's edges on the table are triples (79 to 27) and batting average (.298 to .292). At the plate, Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670), while Gary Sheffield walked more often than struck out (1,475 walks, 1,171 strikeouts). On the bases, Gary Sheffield stole more often per game played (58 steals in 2,089 games for Jim Rice, 253 in 2,576 for Gary Sheffield). Gary Sheffield's on-base percentage of .393 tops Jim Rice's .352.
Jim Rice vs Gary Sheffield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Rice or Gary Sheffield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gary Sheffield leads Jim Rice in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jim Rice or Gary Sheffield hit more home runs?
- Gary Sheffield, with 509 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gary Sheffield, with .907 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Gary Sheffield's .292.
- Who had more hits?
- Gary Sheffield, with 2,689 to Jim Rice's 2,452.