Jose Altuve vs Ernie Banks: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks 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). Jose Altuve has played 2011–present as a hitter; Ernie Banks played 1953–1971 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
Jose Altuve (2011–present) and Ernie Banks (1953–1971) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jose Altuve has 2,519 hits and 271 home runs through October 12, 2026; Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Banks, with 512 to Jose Altuve's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Banks, with .830 to Jose Altuve's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jose Altuve, with .300 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Jose Altuve's 2,519.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Jose Altuve's 939.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Jose Altuve's 22,947.
- Who won more championships? Jose Altuve, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Jose Altuve
Ernie Banks
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Altuve and Ernie Banks. 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 2010s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Jose Altuve is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jose Altuve | Ernie Banks |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,110 | Leads: 2,528 |
| At-Bats | 8,405 | Leads: 9,421 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,306 | 1,305 |
| Hits | 2,519 | Leads: 2,583 |
| Doubles | Leads: 479 | 407 |
| Triples | 34 | Leads: 90 |
| Home Runs | 271 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 939 | Leads: 1,636 |
| Walks | 696 | Leads: 763 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,253 | 1,236 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 330 | 50 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .300 | .274 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .357 | .330 |
| Slugging % | .462 | Leads: .500 |
| OPS | .818 | Leads: .830 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks outpaces Jose Altuve 30,636 to 22,947 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,612 PIV per season to 1,530, across 19 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).
Jose Altuve — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ernie Banks — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and OPS, while Jose Altuve owns runs, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Banks. PIV agrees: Ernie Banks grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jose Altuve and Ernie Banks careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ernie Banks's ended in 1971, and Jose Altuve debuted in 2011. The two careers are close in length, 2,110 games for Jose Altuve and 2,528 for Ernie Banks across 15 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jose Altuve struck out more than walked (1,253 to 696); Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763). Ernie Banks is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,583 hits leaving the park. Jose Altuve was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Ernie Banks's slugging percentage of .500 tops Jose Altuve's .462. Because Jose Altuve is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jose Altuve vs Ernie Banks: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Altuve or Ernie Banks?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Jose Altuve in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Altuve or Ernie Banks hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Jose Altuve's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Banks, with .830 to Jose Altuve's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jose Altuve, with .300 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Jose Altuve's 2,519.