Jose Altuve vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken 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; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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 Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jose Altuve has 2,519 hits and 271 home runs through October 12, 2026; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Jose Altuve's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jose Altuve, with .818 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jose Altuve, with .300 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Jose Altuve's 2,519.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Jose Altuve's 939.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Altuve, with 22,947 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Jose Altuve, with 2 World Series titles to Cal Ripken's 1.
Jose Altuve
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Altuve and Cal Ripken. 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 1980s 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 | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,110 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 8,405 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | 1,306 | Leads: 1,647 |
| Hits | 2,519 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 479 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | 34 | Leads: 44 |
| Home Runs | 271 | Leads: 431 |
| RBI | 939 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks | 696 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,253 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 330 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .300 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .357 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .462 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .818 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Altuve leads Cal Ripken 22,947 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 1,530 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Jose Altuve played 15 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Altuve leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Cal Ripken owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jose Altuve. PIV agrees: Jose Altuve 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 Cal Ripken careers compare
No season is shared: Cal Ripken played 1981–2001, Jose Altuve 2011–present. The two careers are close in length, 2,110 games for Jose Altuve and 3,001 for Cal Ripken across 15 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Jose Altuve struck out more than walked (1,253 to 696), and Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). On the bases, Jose Altuve stole more often per game played (330 steals in 2,110 games for Jose Altuve, 36 in 3,001 for Cal Ripken). Jose Altuve's slugging percentage of .462 tops Cal Ripken's .447. Because Jose Altuve is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jose Altuve vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Altuve or Cal Ripken?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Jose Altuve in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Altuve or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Jose Altuve's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jose Altuve, with .818 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jose Altuve, with .300 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Jose Altuve's 2,519.