Ichiro Suzuki vs Jim Thome: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Thome has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ichiro Suzuki played 2001–2019 as a hitter; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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
Ichiro Suzuki (2001–2019) and Jim Thome (1991–2012) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ichiro Suzuki finished with 3,089 hits and 117 home runs; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Jim Thome's 2,328.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Thome, with 1,699 to Ichiro Suzuki's 780.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Ichiro Suzuki's 6,671.
Ichiro Suzuki
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ichiro Suzuki and Jim Thome. 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 2000s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ichiro Suzuki | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,653 | 2,543 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,934 | 8,422 |
| Runs | 1,420 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,089 | 2,328 |
| Doubles | 362 | Leads: 451 |
| Triples | Leads: 96 | 26 |
| Home Runs | 117 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | 780 | Leads: 1,699 |
| Walks | 647 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,080 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .311 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .355 | Leads: .402 |
| Slugging % | .402 | Leads: .554 |
| OPS | .757 | Leads: .956 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome outpaces Ichiro Suzuki 51,664 to 6,671 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,067 PIV per season to 334, across 25 seasons to 20. 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).
Ichiro Suzuki — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Thome leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Ichiro Suzuki owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Thome. PIV agrees: Jim Thome grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ichiro Suzuki and Jim Thome careers compare
From 2001 through 2012, Ichiro Suzuki and Jim Thome were in the majors together. With 2,653 games against 2,543 across 20 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Ichiro Suzuki struck out more than walked (1,080 to 647), and Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim Thome's hits: 117 of 3,089 for Ichiro Suzuki, 612 of 2,328 for Jim Thome. Ichiro Suzuki was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Jim Thome holds the edge, .402 to .355.
Ichiro Suzuki vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ichiro Suzuki or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Thome leads Ichiro Suzuki in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ichiro Suzuki or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Jim Thome's 2,328.