Cap Anson vs Paul Goldschmidt: 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; Paul Goldschmidt has played 2011–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 Paul Goldschmidt (2011–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; Paul Goldschmidt has 2,277 hits and 390 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? Paul Goldschmidt, with 390 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Goldschmidt, with .877 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Cap Anson, with .334 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits? Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.
- Who drove in more runs? Cap Anson, with 2,075 to Paul Goldschmidt's 1,284.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cap Anson, with 52,242 career PIV to Paul Goldschmidt's 35,401.
Paul Goldschmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cap Anson and Paul Goldschmidt. 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.
Paul Goldschmidt is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Cap Anson | Paul Goldschmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,524 | 2,179 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,281 | 7,953 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,999 | 1,324 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,435 | 2,277 |
| Doubles | Leads: 582 | 490 |
| Triples | Leads: 142 | 25 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,075 | 1,284 |
| Walks | 984 | Leads: 1,115 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 330 | 2,065 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 277 | 175 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .334 | .286 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .375 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .501 |
| OPS | .841 | Leads: .877 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cap Anson outpaces Paul Goldschmidt 52,242 to 35,401 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cap Anson played 27 seasons to Paul Goldschmidt's 15, while Paul Goldschmidt carries the higher per-season figure (2,360 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
Paul Goldschmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cap Anson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Paul Goldschmidt 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 Paul Goldschmidt careers compare
No season is shared: Cap Anson played 1871–1897, Paul Goldschmidt 2011–present. With 2,524 games against 2,179 across 27 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Paul Goldschmidt's edges on the table are home runs (390 to 97), walks (1,115 to 984), and slugging percentage (.501 to .447). At the plate, Cap Anson walked more often than struck out (984 walks, 330 strikeouts), while Paul Goldschmidt struck out more than walked (2,065 to 1,115). Home runs make up a larger share of Paul Goldschmidt's hits: 97 of 3,435 for Cap Anson, 390 of 2,277 for Paul Goldschmidt. Cap Anson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Paul Goldschmidt's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Cap Anson vs Paul Goldschmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cap Anson or Paul Goldschmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cap Anson leads Paul Goldschmidt in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cap Anson or Paul Goldschmidt hit more home runs?
- Paul Goldschmidt, with 390 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Goldschmidt, with .877 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Cap Anson, with .334 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.