Jim Thome vs Joey Votto: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Thome 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). Jim Thome played 1991–2012 as a hitter; Joey Votto played 2007–2023 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
Jim Thome (1991–2012) and Joey Votto (2007–2023) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs; Joey Votto finished with 2,135 hits and 356 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 Joey Votto's 356.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Joey Votto's .920.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joey Votto, with .294 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Joey Votto's 2,135.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Thome, with 1,699 to Joey Votto's 1,144.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Joey Votto's 43,852.
Jim Thome
Joey Votto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Thome and Joey Votto. 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 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Thome | Joey Votto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,543 | 2,056 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,422 | 7,252 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,583 | 1,171 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,328 | 2,135 |
| Doubles | 451 | Leads: 459 |
| Triples | Leads: 26 | 22 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 612 | 356 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,699 | 1,144 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,747 | 1,365 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,548 | 1,640 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 80 |
| Batting Avg | .276 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .402 | Leads: .409 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .554 | .511 |
| OPS | Leads: .956 | .920 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome leads Joey Votto 51,664 to 43,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Thome played 25 seasons to Joey Votto's 17, while Joey Votto carries the higher per-season figure (2,580 to 2,067). 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).
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joey Votto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Thome leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joey Votto owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. 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 Jim Thome and Joey Votto careers compare
The careers of Jim Thome (1991–2012) and Joey Votto (2007–2023) overlapped from 2007 to 2012, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,543 games for Jim Thome and 2,056 for Joey Votto across 25 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Joey Votto's edges on the table are doubles (459 to 451), stolen bases (80 to 19), and batting average (.294 to .276). Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747); Joey Votto struck out more than walked (1,640 to 1,365). Jim Thome is the more power-leaning hitter, with 612 of 2,328 hits leaving the park.
Jim Thome vs Joey Votto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Thome or Joey Votto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Thome leads Joey Votto in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jim Thome or Joey Votto hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Joey Votto's 356.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Joey Votto's .920.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joey Votto, with .294 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Joey Votto's 2,135.