Cody Bellinger vs Nelson Cruz: Career Stats Comparison
Nelson Cruz 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). Cody Bellinger has played 2017–present as a hitter; Nelson Cruz played 2005–2023 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
Cody Bellinger (2017–present) and Nelson Cruz (2005–2023) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cody Bellinger has 1,233 hits and 242 home runs through October 12, 2026; Nelson Cruz finished with 2,053 hits and 464 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Nelson Cruz, with 464 to Cody Bellinger's 242.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nelson Cruz, with .856 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nelson Cruz, with .274 to Cody Bellinger's .261.
- Who had more hits? Nelson Cruz, with 2,053 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.
- Who drove in more runs? Nelson Cruz, with 1,325 to Cody Bellinger's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nelson Cruz, with 25,334 career PIV to Cody Bellinger's 10,298.
- Who won more championships? Cody Bellinger, with 1 World Series title to Nelson Cruz's 0.
Cody Bellinger
Nelson Cruz
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cody Bellinger and Nelson Cruz. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Cody Bellinger is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Cody Bellinger | Nelson Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,289 | Leads: 2,055 |
| At-Bats | 4,726 | Leads: 7,501 |
| Runs | 763 | Leads: 1,090 |
| Hits | 1,233 | Leads: 2,053 |
| Doubles | 236 | Leads: 372 |
| Triples | Leads: 31 | 15 |
| Home Runs | 242 | Leads: 464 |
| RBI | 768 | Leads: 1,325 |
| Walks | 528 | Leads: 738 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,046 | 1,916 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 116 | 84 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .274 |
| On-Base % | .334 | Leads: .343 |
| Slugging % | .478 | Leads: .513 |
| OPS | .812 | Leads: .856 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nelson Cruz outpaces Cody Bellinger 25,334 to 10,298 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,267 PIV per season to 1,144, across 20 seasons to 9. 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).
Cody Bellinger — top 3 seasons by OPS
Nelson Cruz — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nelson Cruz leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Cody Bellinger owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nelson Cruz. PIV agrees: Nelson Cruz grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cody Bellinger and Nelson Cruz careers compare
Cody Bellinger and Nelson Cruz were active at the same time between 2017 and 2023. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Cody Bellinger has appeared in 1,289 games to Nelson Cruz's 2,055. Cody Bellinger's edges on the table are triples (31 to 15) and stolen bases (116 to 84). At the plate, Cody Bellinger struck out more than walked (1,046 to 528), and Nelson Cruz struck out more than walked (1,916 to 738). Cody Bellinger was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Nelson Cruz's on-base percentage of .343 tops Cody Bellinger's .334. Because Cody Bellinger is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Cody Bellinger vs Nelson Cruz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cody Bellinger or Nelson Cruz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nelson Cruz leads Cody Bellinger in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cody Bellinger or Nelson Cruz hit more home runs?
- Nelson Cruz, with 464 to Cody Bellinger's 242.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nelson Cruz, with .856 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nelson Cruz, with .274 to Cody Bellinger's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Nelson Cruz, with 2,053 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.