Nolan Arenado vs Ryan Howard: Career Stats Comparison
Nolan Arenado 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). Nolan Arenado has played 2013–present as a hitter; Ryan Howard played 2004–2016 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 Ryan Howard (2004–2016) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nolan Arenado has 2,057 hits and 383 home runs through October 12, 2026; Ryan Howard finished with 1,475 hits and 382 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 Ryan Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Howard, with .859 to Nolan Arenado's .843.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nolan Arenado, with .280 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits? Nolan Arenado, with 2,057 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.
- Who drove in more runs? Nolan Arenado, with 1,270 to Ryan Howard's 1,194.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nolan Arenado, with 21,230 career PIV to Ryan Howard's 19,167.
- Who won more championships? Ryan Howard, with 1 World Series title to Nolan Arenado's 0.
Nolan Arenado
Ryan Howard
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nolan Arenado and Ryan Howard. 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 2000s 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 | Ryan Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,939 | 1,572 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,340 | 5,707 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,072 | 848 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,057 | 1,475 |
| Doubles | Leads: 430 | 277 |
| Triples | Leads: 35 | 21 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 383 | 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,270 | 1,194 |
| Walks | 629 | Leads: 709 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,843 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 35 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .280 | .258 |
| On-Base % | .338 | Leads: .343 |
| Slugging % | .505 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .843 | Leads: .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nolan Arenado leads Ryan Howard 21,230 to 19,167 — driven by per-season impact — 1,633 PIV per season to 1,474 — rather than by longevity, since Nolan Arenado played 13 seasons to Ryan Howard's 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
Ryan Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nolan Arenado leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ryan Howard owns OBP and OPS. 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 Ryan Howard careers compare
Nolan Arenado and Ryan Howard were active at the same time between 2013 and 2016. With 1,939 games against 1,572 across 13 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Ryan Howard are walks (709 to 629), on-base percentage (.343 to .338), and slugging percentage (.515 to .505). At the plate, Nolan Arenado struck out more than walked (1,214 to 629), and Ryan Howard struck out more than walked (1,843 to 709). Ryan Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 382 of 1,475 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Ryan Howard holds the edge, .343 to .338. Because Nolan Arenado is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nolan Arenado vs Ryan Howard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nolan Arenado or Ryan Howard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nolan Arenado leads Ryan Howard in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nolan Arenado or Ryan Howard hit more home runs?
- Nolan Arenado, with 383 to Ryan Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Howard, with .859 to Nolan Arenado's .843.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nolan Arenado, with .280 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits?
- Nolan Arenado, with 2,057 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.