Miguel Cabrera vs Paul Goldschmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Miguel Cabrera played 2003–2023 as a hitter; Paul Goldschmidt has played 2011–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
Miguel Cabrera (2003–2023) and Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 2010s respectively and share 13 seasons. Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs; Paul Goldschmidt has 2,277 hits and 390 home runs through the 2026 season. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Miguel Cabrera, in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Paul Goldschmidt's 1,284.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Paul Goldschmidt's 35,754.
Miguel Cabrera
Paul Goldschmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera and Paul Goldschmidt. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Miguel Cabrera | Paul Goldschmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,797 | 2,179 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,356 | 7,953 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,324 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 2,277 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 490 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 1,284 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,258 | 1,115 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,105 | 2,065 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 175 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .286 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .382 | .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .518 | .501 |
| OPS | Leads: .901 | .877 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera outpaces Paul Goldschmidt 49,680 to 35,754 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,366 PIV per season to 2,235, across 21 seasons to 16. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Miguel Cabrera — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Goldschmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Miguel Cabrera leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Paul Goldschmidt leads 2: triples and stolen bases. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Miguel Cabrera. PIV agrees: Miguel Cabrera grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Miguel Cabrera and Paul Goldschmidt careers compare
The careers of Miguel Cabrera (2003–2023) and Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) overlapped from 2011 to 2023, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,797 games against 2,179 across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Paul Goldschmidt's edges on the table are triples (25 to 17) and stolen bases (175 to 40). Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258); Paul Goldschmidt struck out more than walked (2,065 to 1,115). On the bases, Paul Goldschmidt stole more often per game played (40 steals in 2,797 games for Miguel Cabrera, 175 in 2,179 for Paul Goldschmidt). Paul Goldschmidt's totals run through the 2026 season.
Miguel Cabrera vs Paul Goldschmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Miguel Cabrera or Paul Goldschmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Miguel Cabrera leads Paul Goldschmidt in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Paul Goldschmidt hit more home runs?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.