Jim Rice vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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 Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 10 seasons. Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Carl Yastrzemski, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Jim Rice's 31,418.
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Rice and Carl Yastrzemski. 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 | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,089 | 3,308 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,225 | 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,249 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,452 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 373 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 79 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 452 |
| RBI | 1,451 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 670 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,423 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 168 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .502 | .462 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .841 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski outpaces Jim Rice 54,310 to 31,418 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,361 PIV per season to 1,964, across 23 seasons to 16. 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
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Carl Yastrzemski leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Jim Rice leads 4: triples, batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski 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 Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
Jim Rice and Carl Yastrzemski were active at the same time between 1974 and 1983. The table compares 2,089 games of Jim Rice with 3,308 of Carl Yastrzemski across 16 and 23 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Jim Rice comes out ahead, it is in triples (79 to 59), batting average (.298 to .285), and slugging percentage (.502 to .462). Plate discipline differs: Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670), but Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts).
Jim Rice vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Rice or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Jim Rice in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Jim Rice or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Jim Rice's 2,452.