Nolan Arenado vs Todd Helton: Career Stats Comparison
Todd Helton has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Todd Helton played 1997–2013 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 Todd Helton (1997–2013) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nolan Arenado has 2,057 hits and 383 home runs through October 12, 2026; Todd Helton finished with 2,519 hits and 369 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 Todd Helton's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS? Todd Helton, with .953 to Nolan Arenado's .843.
- Who had the higher batting average? Todd Helton, with .316 to Nolan Arenado's .280.
- Who had more hits? Todd Helton, with 2,519 to Nolan Arenado's 2,057.
- Who drove in more runs? Todd Helton, with 1,406 to Nolan Arenado's 1,270.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Todd Helton, with 48,515 career PIV to Nolan Arenado's 21,230.
Nolan Arenado
Todd Helton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nolan Arenado and Todd Helton. 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 1990s 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 | Todd Helton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,939 | Leads: 2,247 |
| At-Bats | 7,340 | Leads: 7,962 |
| Runs | 1,072 | Leads: 1,401 |
| Hits | 2,057 | Leads: 2,519 |
| Doubles | 430 | Leads: 592 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 37 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 383 | 369 |
| RBI | 1,270 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Walks | 629 | Leads: 1,335 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,175 |
| Stolen Bases | 35 | Leads: 37 |
| Batting Avg | .280 | Leads: .316 |
| On-Base % | .338 | Leads: .414 |
| Slugging % | .505 | Leads: .539 |
| OPS | .843 | Leads: .953 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Todd Helton outpaces Nolan Arenado 48,515 to 21,230 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,854 PIV per season to 1,633, across 17 seasons to 13. 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
Todd Helton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Todd Helton leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Nolan Arenado owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Todd Helton. PIV agrees: Todd Helton 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 Todd Helton careers compare
From 2013 through 2013, Nolan Arenado and Todd Helton were in the majors together. With 1,939 games against 2,247 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Nolan Arenado's edges on the table are home runs (383 to 369). Plate discipline differs: Nolan Arenado struck out more than walked (1,214 to 629), but Todd Helton walked more often than struck out (1,335 walks, 1,175 strikeouts). Todd Helton's slugging percentage of .539 tops Nolan Arenado's .505. Todd Helton owns the better peak by OPS: .962 OPS in 2019 for Nolan Arenado against 1.162 OPS in 2000 for Todd Helton. Because Nolan Arenado is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nolan Arenado vs Todd Helton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nolan Arenado or Todd Helton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Todd Helton leads Nolan Arenado in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nolan Arenado or Todd Helton hit more home runs?
- Nolan Arenado, with 383 to Todd Helton's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Todd Helton, with .953 to Nolan Arenado's .843.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Todd Helton, with .316 to Nolan Arenado's .280.
- Who had more hits?
- Todd Helton, with 2,519 to Nolan Arenado's 2,057.