Ernie Banks vs Shohei Ohtani: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Shohei Ohtani has played 2018–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 Shohei Ohtani (2018–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; Shohei Ohtani has 1,194 hits and 310 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 Shohei Ohtani's 310.
- Who had the higher OPS? Shohei Ohtani, with .948 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Shohei Ohtani, with .281 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Shohei Ohtani's 1,194.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Shohei Ohtani's 750.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Shohei Ohtani's 24,591.
- Who won more championships? Shohei Ohtani, with 2 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Shohei Ohtani
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Shohei Ohtani. 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.
Shohei Ohtani is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Shohei Ohtani |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 1,172 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 4,253 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 797 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 1,194 |
| Doubles | Leads: 407 | 218 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 49 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 310 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 750 |
| Walks | Leads: 763 | 622 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,256 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 176 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .281 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .574 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .948 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks leads Shohei Ohtani 30,636 to 24,591 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ernie Banks played 19 seasons to Shohei Ohtani's 8, while Shohei Ohtani carries the higher per-season figure (3,074 to 1,612). 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
Shohei Ohtani — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Shohei Ohtani owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Banks. PIV agrees: Ernie Banks 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 Shohei Ohtani careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ernie Banks's ended in 1971, and Shohei Ohtani debuted in 2018. Ernie Banks has the far longer record, 2,528 games against 1,172 across 19 and 8 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. At the plate, Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), and Shohei Ohtani struck out more than walked (1,256 to 622). Shohei Ohtani is the more power-leaning hitter, with 310 of 1,194 hits leaving the park. Shohei Ohtani was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Shohei Ohtani's slugging percentage of .574 tops Ernie Banks's .500. Shohei Ohtani's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Ernie Banks vs Shohei Ohtani: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Shohei Ohtani?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Shohei Ohtani in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Shohei Ohtani hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Shohei Ohtani's 310.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Shohei Ohtani, with .948 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Shohei Ohtani, with .281 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Shohei Ohtani's 1,194.