Cap Anson vs Freddie Freeman: Career Stats Comparison
Cap Anson 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). Cap Anson played 1871–1897 as a hitter; Freddie Freeman has played 2010–present 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
Cap Anson (1871–1897) and Freddie Freeman (2010–present) — they broke in during the 1870s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cap Anson finished with 3,435 hits and 97 home runs; Freddie Freeman has 2,598 hits and 383 home runs through October 6, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Freddie Freeman, with 383 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Freddie Freeman, with .890 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Cap Anson, with .334 to Freddie Freeman's .299.
- Who had more hits? Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Freddie Freeman's 2,598.
- Who drove in more runs? Cap Anson, with 2,075 to Freddie Freeman's 1,392.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cap Anson, with 52,242 career PIV to Freddie Freeman's 41,593.
- Who won more championships? Freddie Freeman, with 3 World Series titles to Cap Anson's 0.
Freddie Freeman
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cap Anson and Freddie Freeman. 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 1870s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Freddie Freeman is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Cap Anson | Freddie Freeman |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,524 | 2,332 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,281 | 8,693 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,999 | 1,453 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,435 | 2,598 |
| Doubles | Leads: 582 | 579 |
| Triples | Leads: 142 | 34 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 383 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,075 | 1,392 |
| Walks | 984 | Leads: 1,136 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 330 | 1,879 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 277 | 111 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .334 | .299 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .384 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .841 | Leads: .890 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cap Anson leads Freddie Freeman 52,242 to 41,593 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cap Anson played 27 seasons to Freddie Freeman's 16, while Freddie Freeman carries the higher per-season figure (2,600 to 1,935). 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).
Cap Anson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Freddie Freeman — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cap Anson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Freddie Freeman owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cap Anson. PIV agrees: Cap Anson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cap Anson and Freddie Freeman careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Cap Anson's ended in 1897, and Freddie Freeman debuted in 2010. The two careers are close in length, 2,524 games for Cap Anson and 2,332 for Freddie Freeman across 27 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Freddie Freeman are home runs (383 to 97), walks (1,136 to 984), and slugging percentage (.505 to .447). At the plate, Cap Anson walked more often than struck out (984 walks, 330 strikeouts), while Freddie Freeman struck out more than walked (1,879 to 1,136). Freddie Freeman's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Cap Anson vs Freddie Freeman: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cap Anson or Freddie Freeman?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cap Anson leads Freddie Freeman in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cap Anson or Freddie Freeman hit more home runs?
- Freddie Freeman, with 383 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Freddie Freeman, with .890 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Cap Anson, with .334 to Freddie Freeman's .299.
- Who had more hits?
- Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Freddie Freeman's 2,598.