Nolan Arenado vs George Kell: 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; George Kell played 1943–1957 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 George Kell (1943–1957) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nolan Arenado has 2,057 hits and 383 home runs through October 12, 2026; George Kell finished with 2,054 hits and 78 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 George Kell's 78.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nolan Arenado, with .843 to George Kell's .781.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Kell, with .306 to Nolan Arenado's .280.
- Who had more hits? Nolan Arenado, with 2,057 to George Kell's 2,054.
- Who drove in more runs? Nolan Arenado, with 1,270 to George Kell's 870.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nolan Arenado, with 21,230 career PIV to George Kell's 12,722.
Nolan Arenado
George Kell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nolan Arenado and George Kell. 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 1940s 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 | George Kell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,939 | 1,795 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,340 | 6,702 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,072 | 881 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,057 | 2,054 |
| Doubles | Leads: 430 | 385 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 50 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 383 | 78 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,270 | 870 |
| Walks | Leads: 629 | 621 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 287 |
| Stolen Bases | 35 | Leads: 51 |
| Batting Avg | .280 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | .338 | Leads: .367 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .414 |
| OPS | Leads: .843 | .781 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nolan Arenado outpaces George Kell 21,230 to 12,722 — driven by per-season impact — 1,633 PIV per season to 670 — rather than by longevity, since Nolan Arenado played 13 seasons to George Kell's 19. 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
George Kell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nolan Arenado leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Kell owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. 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 George Kell careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: George Kell's ended in 1957, and Nolan Arenado debuted in 2013. With 1,939 games against 1,795 across 13 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. George Kell's edges on the table are triples (50 to 35), stolen bases (51 to 35), and batting average (.306 to .280). At the plate, Nolan Arenado struck out more than walked (1,214 to 629), while George Kell walked more often than struck out (621 walks, 287 strikeouts). Nolan Arenado is the more power-leaning hitter, with 383 of 2,057 hits leaving the park. George Kell's on-base percentage of .367 tops Nolan Arenado's .338. Because Nolan Arenado is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nolan Arenado vs George Kell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nolan Arenado or George Kell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nolan Arenado leads George Kell in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nolan Arenado or George Kell hit more home runs?
- Nolan Arenado, with 383 to George Kell's 78.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nolan Arenado, with .843 to George Kell's .781.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Kell, with .306 to Nolan Arenado's .280.
- Who had more hits?
- Nolan Arenado, with 2,057 to George Kell's 2,054.