Cal Ripken vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Cal Ripken (1981–2001) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Cal Ripken, with .788 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Cal Ripken's 3,184.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Cal Ripken's 1.
Cal Ripken
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cal Ripken and Pete Rose. 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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cal Ripken | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 3,001 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 11,551 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,647 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 3,184 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 603 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 44 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 431 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,695 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,129 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,305 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 36 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .276 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .340 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .447 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .788 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Cal Ripken 40,772 to 19,199 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 914, across 25 seasons to 21. 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).
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Cal Ripken owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cal Ripken and Pete Rose careers compare
Cal Ripken and Pete Rose were active at the same time between 1981 and 1986. The two careers are close in length, 3,001 games for Cal Ripken and 3,562 for Pete Rose across 21 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Cal Ripken comes out ahead, it is in home runs (431 to 160), RBI (1,695 to 1,314), and slugging percentage (.447 to .409). Plate discipline differs: Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts).
Cal Ripken vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cal Ripken or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Cal Ripken in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cal Ripken or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Cal Ripken, with .788 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Cal Ripken's 3,184.