Yordan Alvarez vs Paul Molitor: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Molitor 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). Yordan Alvarez has played 2019–present as a hitter; Paul Molitor played 1978–1998 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
Yordan Alvarez (2019–present) and Paul Molitor (1978–1998) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Yordan Alvarez has 907 hits and 212 home runs through October 6, 2026; Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits and 234 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Paul Molitor, with 234 to Yordan Alvarez's 212.
- Who had the higher OPS? Yordan Alvarez, with .975 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Yordan Alvarez's .300.
- Who had more hits? Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Yordan Alvarez's 907.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Molitor, with 1,307 to Yordan Alvarez's 599.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Molitor, with 29,073 career PIV to Yordan Alvarez's 16,264.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Yordan Alvarez
Paul Molitor
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Yordan Alvarez and Paul Molitor. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Yordan Alvarez is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Yordan Alvarez | Paul Molitor |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 835 | Leads: 2,683 |
| At-Bats | 3,022 | Leads: 10,835 |
| Runs | 534 | Leads: 1,782 |
| Hits | 907 | Leads: 3,319 |
| Doubles | 190 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 7 | Leads: 114 |
| Home Runs | 212 | Leads: 234 |
| RBI | 599 | Leads: 1,307 |
| Walks | 455 | Leads: 1,094 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 686 | 1,244 |
| Stolen Bases | 10 | Leads: 504 |
| Batting Avg | .300 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .397 | .369 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .578 | .448 |
| OPS | Leads: .975 | .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Molitor outpaces Yordan Alvarez 29,073 to 16,264 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Paul Molitor played 21 seasons to Yordan Alvarez's 7, while Yordan Alvarez carries the higher per-season figure (2,323 to 1,384). 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).
Yordan Alvarez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Molitor — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Molitor leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Yordan Alvarez owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Molitor. PIV agrees: Paul Molitor grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Yordan Alvarez and Paul Molitor careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Paul Molitor's ended in 1998, and Yordan Alvarez debuted in 2019. Paul Molitor has the far longer record, 2,683 games against 835 across 7 and 21 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Yordan Alvarez comes out ahead, it is in on-base percentage (.397 to .369), slugging percentage (.578 to .448), and OPS (.975 to .817). At the plate, Yordan Alvarez struck out more than walked (686 to 455), and Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094). Home runs make up a larger share of Yordan Alvarez's hits: 212 of 907 for Yordan Alvarez, 234 of 3,319 for Paul Molitor. Because Yordan Alvarez is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Yordan Alvarez vs Paul Molitor: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Yordan Alvarez or Paul Molitor?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Molitor leads Yordan Alvarez in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Yordan Alvarez or Paul Molitor hit more home runs?
- Paul Molitor, with 234 to Yordan Alvarez's 212.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Yordan Alvarez, with .975 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Yordan Alvarez's .300.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Yordan Alvarez's 907.