Jim Rice vs Juan Soto: 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; Juan Soto has played 2018–present 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 Juan Soto (2018–present) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs; Juan Soto has 1,196 hits and 271 home runs through October 12, 2026. 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 Juan Soto's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS? Juan Soto, with .945 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Juan Soto's 1,196.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Juan Soto's 765.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Juan Soto's 27,584.
- Who won more championships? Juan Soto, with 1 World Series title to Jim Rice's 0.
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Rice and Juan Soto. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Juan Soto is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jim Rice | Juan Soto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,089 | 1,207 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,225 | 4,257 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,249 | 838 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,452 | 1,196 |
| Doubles | Leads: 373 | 210 |
| Triples | Leads: 79 | 18 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 271 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,451 | 765 |
| Walks | 670 | Leads: 974 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,423 | 898 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .281 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .415 |
| Slugging % | .502 | Leads: .530 |
| OPS | .854 | Leads: .945 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice leads Juan Soto 31,418 to 27,584 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Juan Soto's 9, while Juan Soto carries the higher per-season figure (3,065 to 1,964). 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
Juan Soto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Rice leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Juan Soto owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. 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 Juan Soto careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Jim Rice's ended in 1989, and Juan Soto debuted in 2018. The table compares 2,089 games of Jim Rice with 1,207 of Juan Soto across 16 and 9 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Plate discipline differs: Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670), but Juan Soto walked more often than struck out (974 walks, 898 strikeouts). Juan Soto is the more power-leaning hitter, with 271 of 1,196 hits leaving the park. Juan Soto was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Juan Soto holds the edge, .530 to .502. Because Juan Soto is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jim Rice vs Juan Soto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Rice or Juan Soto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Juan Soto in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jim Rice or Juan Soto hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Juan Soto's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Juan Soto, with .945 to Jim Rice's .854.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Juan Soto's 1,196.