Jim Rice vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Jim Rice played 1974–1989 as a hitter; Dave Winfield played 1973–1995 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 Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs; Dave Winfield finished with 3,110 hits and 465 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Winfield, with 465 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Winfield, with 34,842 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
- Who won more championships? Dave Winfield, with 1 World Series title to Jim Rice's 0.
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Rice and Dave Winfield. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Rice | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,089 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 8,225 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 1,249 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 2,452 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | 373 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 79 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 465 |
| RBI | 1,451 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | 670 | Leads: 1,216 |
| Strikeouts | 1,423 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 223 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .283 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .353 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .502 | .475 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .827 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Winfield leads Jim Rice 34,842 to 31,418 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,515 vs 1,964 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Winfield leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jim Rice owns batting average and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Winfield. PIV agrees: Dave Winfield grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Jim Rice vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Rice or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Winfield leads Jim Rice in 11 of 14 categories.
- Did Jim Rice or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Dave Winfield, with 465 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Dave Winfield's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Jim Rice's 2,452.