Nolan Arenado vs Matt Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Nolan Arenado has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Matt Williams played 1987–2003 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 Matt Williams (1987–2003) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nolan Arenado has 2,057 hits and 383 home runs through October 12, 2026; Matt Williams finished with 1,878 hits and 378 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 Matt Williams's 378.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nolan Arenado, with .843 to Matt Williams's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nolan Arenado, with .280 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits? Nolan Arenado, with 2,057 to Matt Williams's 1,878.
- Who drove in more runs? Nolan Arenado, with 1,270 to Matt Williams's 1,218.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nolan Arenado, with 21,230 career PIV to Matt Williams's 9,982.
- Who won more championships? Matt Williams, with 1 World Series title to Nolan Arenado's 0.
Nolan Arenado
Matt Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nolan Arenado and Matt Williams. 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 1980s 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 | Matt Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,939 | 1,866 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,340 | 7,000 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,072 | 997 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,057 | 1,878 |
| Doubles | Leads: 430 | 338 |
| Triples | 35 | 35 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 383 | 378 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,270 | 1,218 |
| Walks | Leads: 629 | 469 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,363 |
| Stolen Bases | 35 | Leads: 53 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .280 | .268 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .338 | .317 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .489 |
| OPS | Leads: .843 | .805 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nolan Arenado outpaces Matt Williams 21,230 to 9,982 — driven by per-season impact — 1,633 PIV per season to 587 — rather than by longevity, since Nolan Arenado played 13 seasons to Matt Williams's 17. 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
Matt Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nolan Arenado leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Matt Williams owns 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 Matt Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Matt Williams played 1987–2003, Nolan Arenado 2013–present. The two careers are close in length, 1,939 games for Nolan Arenado and 1,866 for Matt Williams across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Matt Williams's edges on the table are stolen bases (53 to 35). At the plate, Nolan Arenado struck out more than walked (1,214 to 629), and Matt Williams struck out more than walked (1,363 to 469). In slugging percentage, Nolan Arenado holds the edge, .505 to .489. Nolan Arenado owns the better peak by OPS: .962 OPS in 2019 for Nolan Arenado against .926 OPS in 1994 for Matt Williams. Because Nolan Arenado is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nolan Arenado vs Matt Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nolan Arenado or Matt Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nolan Arenado leads Matt Williams in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nolan Arenado or Matt Williams hit more home runs?
- Nolan Arenado, with 383 to Matt Williams's 378.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nolan Arenado, with .843 to Matt Williams's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nolan Arenado, with .280 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Nolan Arenado, with 2,057 to Matt Williams's 1,878.