Ernie Banks vs Paul Goldschmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Goldschmidt 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). Ernie Banks played 1953–1971 as a hitter; Paul Goldschmidt has played 2011–present 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
Ernie Banks (1953–1971) and Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Paul Goldschmidt has 2,277 hits and 390 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Banks, with 512 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Goldschmidt, with .877 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Goldschmidt, with .286 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Paul Goldschmidt's 1,284.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Goldschmidt, with 35,401 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
Ernie Banks
Paul Goldschmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Paul Goldschmidt. 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 1950s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Goldschmidt is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Paul Goldschmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,179 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 7,953 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,324 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 2,277 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 490 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,284 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,115 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 2,065 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 175 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .286 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .501 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .877 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Goldschmidt leads Ernie Banks 35,401 to 30,636 — driven by per-season impact — 2,360 PIV per season to 1,612 — rather than by longevity, since Paul Goldschmidt played 15 seasons to Ernie Banks'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).
Ernie Banks — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Goldschmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Goldschmidt leads in runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Ernie Banks owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Goldschmidt. PIV agrees: Paul Goldschmidt grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Banks and Paul Goldschmidt careers compare
Ernie Banks (1953–1971) was finished before Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,179 for Paul Goldschmidt across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763); Paul Goldschmidt struck out more than walked (2,065 to 1,115). On the bases, Paul Goldschmidt stole more often per game played (50 steals in 2,528 games for Ernie Banks, 175 in 2,179 for Paul Goldschmidt). Because Paul Goldschmidt is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Ernie Banks vs Paul Goldschmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Paul Goldschmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Goldschmidt leads Ernie Banks in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Paul Goldschmidt hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Goldschmidt, with .877 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Goldschmidt, with .286 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.