Miguel Cabrera vs Rickey Henderson: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera and Rickey Henderson are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Miguel Cabrera played 2003–2023 as a hitter; Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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 Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs; Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 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 Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Rickey Henderson's 37,642.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Miguel Cabrera's 1.
Miguel Cabrera
Rickey Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera and Rickey Henderson. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Miguel Cabrera | Rickey Henderson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,797 | Leads: 3,081 |
| At-Bats | 10,356 | Leads: 10,961 |
| Runs | 1,551 | Leads: 2,295 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 3,055 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 510 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 297 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 1,115 |
| Walks | 1,258 | Leads: 2,190 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,105 | 1,694 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .382 | Leads: .401 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .518 | .419 |
| OPS | Leads: .901 | .820 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera leads Rickey Henderson 49,680 to 37,642 — driven by per-season impact — 2,366 PIV per season to 1,298 — rather than by longevity, since Miguel Cabrera played 21 seasons to Rickey Henderson's 29. 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
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Rickey Henderson owns runs, stolen bases, 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 Rickey Henderson careers compare
Miguel Cabrera and Rickey Henderson were active at the same time between 2003 and 2003. With 2,797 games against 3,081 across 21 and 29 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258), while Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts). Miguel Cabrera is the more power-leaning hitter, with 511 of 3,174 hits leaving the park. Rickey Henderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Miguel Cabrera owns the better peak by OPS: 1.078 OPS in 2013 for Miguel Cabrera against 1.023 OPS in 1993 for Rickey Henderson.
Miguel Cabrera vs Rickey Henderson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Rickey Henderson hit more home runs?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.