Miguel Cabrera vs Hank Greenberg: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera 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). Miguel Cabrera played 2003–2023 as a hitter; Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 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 Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs; Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Miguel Cabrera's .306.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Miguel Cabrera's 1.
Miguel Cabrera
Hank Greenberg
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera and Hank Greenberg. 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 2000s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Miguel Cabrera | Hank Greenberg |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,797 | 1,394 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,356 | 5,193 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,051 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 1,628 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 379 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 71 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 331 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 1,276 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,258 | 852 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,105 | 844 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 58 |
| Batting Avg | .306 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .382 | Leads: .412 |
| Slugging % | .518 | Leads: .605 |
| OPS | .901 | Leads: 1.017 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera leads Hank Greenberg 49,680 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Miguel Cabrera played 21 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,366). 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).
Miguel Cabrera — top 3 seasons by OPS
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hank Greenberg owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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 Hank Greenberg careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Hank Greenberg's ended in 1947, and Miguel Cabrera debuted in 2003. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Miguel Cabrera appeared in 2,797 games to Hank Greenberg's 1,394. At the plate, Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258), while Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts). Hank Greenberg's on-base percentage of .412 tops Miguel Cabrera's .382. On the peak-season lists, Miguel Cabrera's best year is 2013 at 1.078 OPS and Hank Greenberg's is 1938 at 1.122 OPS; Hank Greenberg has the stronger single season.
Miguel Cabrera vs Hank Greenberg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Miguel Cabrera or Hank Greenberg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Miguel Cabrera leads Hank Greenberg in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Hank Greenberg hit more home runs?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Miguel Cabrera's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.