Nolan Arenado vs Ron Santo: Career Stats Comparison
Ron Santo 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; Ron Santo played 1960–1974 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 Ron Santo (1960–1974) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nolan Arenado has 2,057 hits and 383 home runs through October 6, 2026; Ron Santo finished with 2,254 hits and 342 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 Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nolan Arenado, with .843 to Ron Santo's .826.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nolan Arenado, with .280 to Ron Santo's .277.
- Who had more hits? Ron Santo, with 2,254 to Nolan Arenado's 2,057.
- Who drove in more runs? Ron Santo, with 1,331 to Nolan Arenado's 1,270.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ron Santo, with 33,743 career PIV to Nolan Arenado's 21,230.
Nolan Arenado
Ron Santo
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nolan Arenado and Ron Santo. 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 1960s 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 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Nolan Arenado | Ron Santo |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,939 | Leads: 2,243 |
| At-Bats | 7,340 | Leads: 8,143 |
| Runs | 1,072 | Leads: 1,138 |
| Hits | 2,057 | Leads: 2,254 |
| Doubles | Leads: 430 | 365 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 67 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 383 | 342 |
| RBI | 1,270 | Leads: 1,331 |
| Walks | 629 | Leads: 1,108 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,343 |
| Stolen Bases | 35 | 35 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .280 | .277 |
| On-Base % | .338 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .464 |
| OPS | Leads: .843 | .826 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ron Santo outpaces Nolan Arenado 33,743 to 21,230 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,250 PIV per season to 1,633, across 15 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
Ron Santo — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ron Santo leads in hits, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Nolan Arenado owns home runs, batting average, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Santo. PIV agrees: Ron Santo 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 Ron Santo careers compare
No season is shared: Ron Santo played 1960–1974, Nolan Arenado 2013–present. The two careers are close in length, 1,939 games for Nolan Arenado and 2,243 for Ron Santo across 13 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Nolan Arenado struck out more than walked (1,214 to 629), and Ron Santo struck out more than walked (1,343 to 1,108). Nolan Arenado's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Nolan Arenado vs Ron Santo: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nolan Arenado or Ron Santo?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ron Santo leads Nolan Arenado in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nolan Arenado or Ron Santo hit more home runs?
- Nolan Arenado, with 383 to Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nolan Arenado, with .843 to Ron Santo's .826.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nolan Arenado, with .280 to Ron Santo's .277.
- Who had more hits?
- Ron Santo, with 2,254 to Nolan Arenado's 2,057.