Ichiro Suzuki vs Ben Zobrist: Career Stats Comparison
Ichiro Suzuki has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; 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
Ichiro Suzuki (2001–2019) and Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ichiro Suzuki finished with 3,089 hits and 117 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? Ben Zobrist, with 167 to Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ben Zobrist, with .783 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits? Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.
- Who drove in more runs? Ichiro Suzuki, with 780 to Ben Zobrist's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ben Zobrist, with 10,712 career PIV to Ichiro Suzuki's 6,671.
- Who won more championships? Ben Zobrist, with 2 World Series titles to Ichiro Suzuki's 0.
Ichiro Suzuki
Ben Zobrist
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ichiro Suzuki 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ichiro Suzuki | Ben Zobrist |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,653 | 1,651 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,934 | 5,880 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,420 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,089 | 1,566 |
| Doubles | Leads: 362 | 349 |
| Triples | Leads: 96 | 44 |
| Home Runs | 117 | Leads: 167 |
| RBI | Leads: 780 | 768 |
| Walks | 647 | Leads: 832 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,080 | 994 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 509 | 116 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .311 | .266 |
| On-Base % | .355 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | .402 | Leads: .426 |
| OPS | .757 | Leads: .783 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ben Zobrist outpaces Ichiro Suzuki 10,712 to 6,671 — driven by per-season impact — 714 PIV per season to 334 — rather than by longevity, since Ben Zobrist played 15 seasons to Ichiro Suzuki's 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
Ben Zobrist — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ichiro Suzuki leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ben Zobrist owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ichiro Suzuki. Note that PIV actually grades Ben Zobrist ahead, which means Ichiro Suzuki's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ichiro Suzuki and Ben Zobrist careers compare
From 2006 through 2019, Ichiro Suzuki and Ben Zobrist were in the majors together. Ichiro Suzuki has the far longer record, 2,653 games against 1,651 across 20 and 15 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. At the plate, Ichiro Suzuki struck out more than walked (1,080 to 647), and Ben Zobrist struck out more than walked (994 to 832). Ben Zobrist is the more power-leaning hitter, with 167 of 1,566 hits leaving the park. Ichiro Suzuki was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Ben Zobrist's slugging percentage of .426 tops Ichiro Suzuki's .402.
Ichiro Suzuki vs Ben Zobrist: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ichiro Suzuki or Ben Zobrist?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ichiro Suzuki leads Ben Zobrist in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ichiro Suzuki or Ben Zobrist hit more home runs?
- Ben Zobrist, with 167 to Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ben Zobrist, with .783 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.