Jose Altuve vs Albert Pujols: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Albert Pujols played 2001–2022 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 Albert Pujols (2001–2022) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jose Altuve has 2,519 hits and 271 home runs through October 12, 2026; Albert Pujols finished with 3,384 hits and 703 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Albert Pujols, with 703 to Jose Altuve's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS? Albert Pujols, with .918 to Jose Altuve's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jose Altuve, with .300 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits? Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Jose Altuve's 2,519.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Jose Altuve's 939.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Albert Pujols, with 58,591 career PIV to Jose Altuve's 22,947.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Jose Altuve
Albert Pujols
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Altuve and Albert Pujols. 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 2000s 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 | Albert Pujols |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,110 | Leads: 3,080 |
| At-Bats | 8,405 | Leads: 11,421 |
| Runs | 1,306 | Leads: 1,914 |
| Hits | 2,519 | Leads: 3,384 |
| Doubles | 479 | Leads: 686 |
| Triples | Leads: 34 | 16 |
| Home Runs | 271 | Leads: 703 |
| RBI | 939 | Leads: 2,218 |
| Walks | 696 | Leads: 1,373 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,253 | 1,404 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 330 | 117 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .300 | .296 |
| On-Base % | .357 | Leads: .374 |
| Slugging % | .462 | Leads: .544 |
| OPS | .818 | Leads: .918 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Albert Pujols outpaces Jose Altuve 58,591 to 22,947 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,547 PIV per season to 1,530, across 23 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
Albert Pujols — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Albert Pujols leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jose Altuve owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Albert Pujols. PIV agrees: Albert Pujols 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 Albert Pujols careers compare
From 2011 through 2022, Jose Altuve and Albert Pujols were in the majors together. With 2,110 games against 3,080 across 15 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Jose Altuve are triples (34 to 16), stolen bases (330 to 117), and batting average (.300 to .296). Jose Altuve struck out more than walked (1,253 to 696); Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373). Home runs make up a larger share of Albert Pujols's hits: 271 of 2,519 for Jose Altuve, 703 of 3,384 for Albert Pujols. Because Jose Altuve is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jose Altuve vs Albert Pujols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Altuve or Albert Pujols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Jose Altuve in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Altuve or Albert Pujols hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Jose Altuve's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Albert Pujols, with .918 to Jose Altuve's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jose Altuve, with .300 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Jose Altuve's 2,519.