Nolan Arenado vs Buddy Bell: Career Stats Comparison
Buddy Bell has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nolan Arenado has played 2013–present as a hitter; Buddy Bell played 1972–1989 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
Nolan Arenado (2013–present) and Buddy Bell (1972–1989) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nolan Arenado has 2,057 hits and 383 home runs through October 12, 2026; Buddy Bell finished with 2,514 hits and 201 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Nolan Arenado, with 383 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nolan Arenado, with .843 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nolan Arenado, with .280 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits? Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Nolan Arenado's 2,057.
- Who drove in more runs? Nolan Arenado, with 1,270 to Buddy Bell's 1,106.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nolan Arenado, with 21,230 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
Nolan Arenado
Buddy Bell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nolan Arenado and Buddy Bell. 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.
Nolan Arenado is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Nolan Arenado | Buddy Bell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,939 | Leads: 2,405 |
| At-Bats | 7,340 | Leads: 8,995 |
| Runs | 1,072 | Leads: 1,151 |
| Hits | 2,057 | Leads: 2,514 |
| Doubles | Leads: 430 | 425 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 56 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 383 | 201 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,270 | 1,106 |
| Walks | 629 | Leads: 836 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 776 |
| Stolen Bases | 35 | Leads: 55 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .280 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .338 | Leads: .341 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .406 |
| OPS | Leads: .843 | .747 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nolan Arenado outpaces Buddy Bell 21,230 to 10,176 — driven by per-season impact — 1,633 PIV per season to 509 — rather than by longevity, since Nolan Arenado played 13 seasons to Buddy Bell's 20. 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).
Nolan Arenado — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buddy Bell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nolan Arenado leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OPS, while Buddy Bell owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nolan Arenado. PIV agrees: Nolan Arenado grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nolan Arenado and Buddy Bell careers compare
No season is shared: Buddy Bell played 1972–1989, Nolan Arenado 2013–present. With 1,939 games against 2,405 across 13 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Nolan Arenado struck out more than walked (1,214 to 629), but Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts). Nolan Arenado is the more power-leaning hitter, with 383 of 2,057 hits leaving the park. Nolan Arenado's slugging percentage of .505 tops Buddy Bell's .406. Best seasons: 2019 for Nolan Arenado (.962 OPS, 41 HR, 118 RBI, .315 avg) and 1980 for Buddy Bell (.877 OPS, 17 HR, 83 RBI, .329 avg). Because Nolan Arenado is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nolan Arenado vs Buddy Bell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nolan Arenado or Buddy Bell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Buddy Bell leads Nolan Arenado in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nolan Arenado or Buddy Bell hit more home runs?
- Nolan Arenado, with 383 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nolan Arenado, with .843 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nolan Arenado, with .280 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Nolan Arenado's 2,057.