Adrian Beltre vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Adrian Beltre and Cal Ripken are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Adrian Beltre played 1998–2018 as a hitter; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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
Adrian Beltre (1998–2018) and Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Adrian Beltre finished with 3,166 hits and 477 home runs; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Adrian Beltre, with 477 to Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS? Adrian Beltre, with .819 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Adrian Beltre, with .286 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Adrian Beltre's 3,166.
- Who drove in more runs? Adrian Beltre, with 1,707 to Cal Ripken's 1,695.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Adrian Beltre, with 22,100 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Cal Ripken, with 1 World Series title to Adrian Beltre's 0.
Adrian Beltre
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Adrian Beltre and Cal Ripken. 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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Adrian Beltre | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,933 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 11,068 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | 1,524 | Leads: 1,647 |
| Hits | 3,166 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | Leads: 636 | 603 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 477 | 431 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,707 | 1,695 |
| Walks | 848 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,732 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 121 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .286 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .819 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Adrian Beltre leads Cal Ripken 22,100 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 1,052 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Adrian Beltre played 21 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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).
Adrian Beltre — top 3 seasons by OPS
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Adrian Beltre leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Cal Ripken owns hits, runs, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Adrian Beltre. PIV agrees: Adrian Beltre grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Adrian Beltre and Cal Ripken careers compare
From 1998 through 2001, Adrian Beltre and Cal Ripken were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,933 games for Adrian Beltre and 3,001 for Cal Ripken across 21 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Adrian Beltre struck out more than walked (1,732 to 848); Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). Adrian Beltre was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Cal Ripken holds the edge, .340 to .339. Adrian Beltre owns the better peak by OPS: 1.017 OPS in 2004 for Adrian Beltre against .952 OPS in 1999 for Cal Ripken.
Adrian Beltre vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Adrian Beltre or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Adrian Beltre, with 477 to Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Adrian Beltre, with .819 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Adrian Beltre, with .286 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Adrian Beltre's 3,166.