Buddy Bell vs Manny Machado: Career Stats Comparison
Buddy Bell 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). Buddy Bell played 1972–1989 as a hitter; Manny Machado has played 2012–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
Buddy Bell (1972–1989) and Manny Machado (2012–present) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Buddy Bell finished with 2,514 hits and 201 home runs; Manny Machado has 2,197 hits and 399 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? Manny Machado, with 399 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS? Manny Machado, with .815 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buddy Bell, with .279 to Manny Machado's .274.
- Who had more hits? Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Manny Machado's 2,197.
- Who drove in more runs? Manny Machado, with 1,235 to Buddy Bell's 1,106.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Manny Machado, with 18,743 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
Buddy Bell
Manny Machado
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell and Manny Machado. 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 1970s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Manny Machado is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Buddy Bell | Manny Machado |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,405 | 2,052 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,995 | 8,013 |
| Runs | 1,151 | Leads: 1,164 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,514 | 2,197 |
| Doubles | Leads: 425 | 418 |
| Triples | Leads: 56 | 18 |
| Home Runs | 201 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 1,106 | Leads: 1,235 |
| Walks | Leads: 836 | 739 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 1,577 |
| Stolen Bases | 55 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .274 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .341 | .335 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .480 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Manny Machado outpaces Buddy Bell 18,743 to 10,176 — driven by per-season impact — 1,250 PIV per season to 509 — rather than by longevity, since Manny Machado played 15 seasons to Buddy Bell's 20. 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).
Buddy Bell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Manny Machado — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Manny Machado leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Buddy Bell owns hits, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Manny Machado. PIV agrees: Manny Machado grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Buddy Bell and Manny Machado careers compare
No season is shared: Buddy Bell played 1972–1989, Manny Machado 2012–present. The two careers are close in length, 2,405 games for Buddy Bell and 2,052 for Manny Machado across 20 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts), while Manny Machado struck out more than walked (1,577 to 739). Home runs make up a larger share of Manny Machado's hits: 201 of 2,514 for Buddy Bell, 399 of 2,197 for Manny Machado. Manny Machado was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Manny Machado holds the edge, .480 to .406. Because Manny Machado is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Buddy Bell vs Manny Machado: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buddy Bell or Manny Machado?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Buddy Bell leads Manny Machado in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buddy Bell or Manny Machado hit more home runs?
- Manny Machado, with 399 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Manny Machado, with .815 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buddy Bell, with .279 to Manny Machado's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Manny Machado's 2,197.