Pete Rose vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose and Carl Yastrzemski are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Pete Rose (1963–1986) and Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — both debuted in the 1960s. Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Carl Yastrzemski's 3,419.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
Pete Rose
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Pete Rose 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 | Pete Rose | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,562 | 3,308 |
| At-Bats not scored | 14,053 | 11,988 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,165 | 1,816 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,256 | 3,419 |
| Doubles | Leads: 746 | 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 135 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 160 | Leads: 452 |
| RBI | 1,314 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 1,566 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,143 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 198 | 168 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .375 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | .409 | Leads: .462 |
| OPS | .784 | Leads: .841 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski leads Pete Rose 54,310 to 40,772 — driven by per-season impact — 2,361 PIV per season to 1,699 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Yastrzemski played 23 seasons to Pete Rose's 24. 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).
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Pete Rose and Carl Yastrzemski split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Carl Yastrzemski higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Rose and Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
From 1963 through 1983, Pete Rose and Carl Yastrzemski were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 3,562 games for Pete Rose and 3,308 for Carl Yastrzemski across 24 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts), and Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Carl Yastrzemski's hits: 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose, 452 of 3,419 for Carl Yastrzemski. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Pete Rose vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Rose or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Pete Rose or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Carl Yastrzemski's 3,419.