Frank Robinson vs Ben Zobrist: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 as a hitter; Ben Zobrist played 2006–2019 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
Frank Robinson (1956–1976) and Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs; Ben Zobrist finished with 1,566 hits and 167 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Robinson, with .294 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Ben Zobrist's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Ben Zobrist's 10,712.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Frank Robinson
Ben Zobrist
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Robinson and Ben Zobrist. 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 1950s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Frank Robinson | Ben Zobrist |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,808 | 1,651 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,006 | 5,880 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,829 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,943 | 1,566 |
| Doubles | Leads: 528 | 349 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 586 | 167 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,812 | 768 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,420 | 832 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,532 | 994 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 204 | 116 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .266 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .357 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .426 |
| OPS | Leads: .926 | .783 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Ben Zobrist 67,113 to 10,712 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,051 PIV per season to 714, across 22 seasons to 15. 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).
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ben Zobrist — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Frank Robinson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ben Zobrist owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Frank Robinson and Ben Zobrist careers compare
No season is shared: Frank Robinson played 1956–1976, Ben Zobrist 2006–2019. The table compares 2,808 games of Frank Robinson with 1,651 of Ben Zobrist across 22 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Every scored category on the table goes to Frank Robinson. Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420); Ben Zobrist struck out more than walked (994 to 832). Home runs make up a larger share of Frank Robinson's hits: 586 of 2,943 for Frank Robinson, 167 of 1,566 for Ben Zobrist. On the bases, Frank Robinson stole more often per game played (204 steals in 2,808 games for Frank Robinson, 116 in 1,651 for Ben Zobrist).
Frank Robinson vs Ben Zobrist: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Robinson or Ben Zobrist?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Ben Zobrist in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Frank Robinson or Ben Zobrist hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Robinson, with .294 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.