Cody Bellinger vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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 Paul Waner (1926–1945) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cody Bellinger has 1,233 hits and 242 home runs through October 12, 2026; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cody Bellinger, with 242 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Waner, with .878 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Waner, with .333 to Cody Bellinger's .261.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Waner, with 1,309 to Cody Bellinger's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Waner, with 40,296 career PIV to Cody Bellinger's 10,298.
- Who won more championships? Cody Bellinger, with 1 World Series title to Paul Waner's 0.
Cody Bellinger
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cody Bellinger and Paul Waner. 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 1920s 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 | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,289 | Leads: 2,549 |
| At-Bats | 4,726 | Leads: 9,459 |
| Runs | 763 | Leads: 1,627 |
| Hits | 1,233 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 236 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 242 | 113 |
| RBI | 768 | Leads: 1,309 |
| Walks | 528 | Leads: 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,046 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 116 | 104 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .333 |
| On-Base % | .334 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .478 | .473 |
| OPS | .812 | Leads: .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Waner outpaces Cody Bellinger 40,296 to 10,298 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,832 PIV per season to 1,144, across 22 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
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Waner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Cody Bellinger owns home runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Waner. PIV agrees: Paul Waner 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 Paul Waner careers compare
No season is shared: Paul Waner played 1926–1945, Cody Bellinger 2017–present. The table compares 1,289 games of Cody Bellinger with 2,549 of Paul Waner across 9 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Cody Bellinger comes out ahead, it is in home runs (242 to 113), stolen bases (116 to 104), and slugging percentage (.478 to .473). At the plate, Cody Bellinger struck out more than walked (1,046 to 528), while Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Cody Bellinger is the more power-leaning hitter, with 242 of 1,233 hits leaving the park. Cody Bellinger's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Cody Bellinger vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cody Bellinger or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads Cody Bellinger in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cody Bellinger or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Cody Bellinger, with 242 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Waner, with .878 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Waner, with .333 to Cody Bellinger's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.