Jim Rice vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 1970s. 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 leads the career comparison? Dave Winfield, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- 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.
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. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Rice | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,089 | 2,973 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,225 | 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 not scored | 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 longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dave Winfield played 22 seasons to Jim Rice's 16, while Jim Rice carries the higher per-season figure (1,964 to 1,584). 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
Dave Winfield leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Jim Rice leads 3: batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. 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
How the Jim Rice and Dave Winfield careers compare
Jim Rice and Dave Winfield were active at the same time between 1974 and 1989. The two careers are close in length, 2,089 games for Jim Rice and 2,973 for Dave Winfield across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Jim Rice are batting average (.298 to .283), slugging percentage (.502 to .475), and OPS (.854 to .827). At the plate, Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670), and Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216).
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 9 of the 12 scored 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.