Miguel Cabrera vs Ryan Howard: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Ryan Howard played 2004–2016 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 Ryan Howard (2004–2016) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs; Ryan Howard finished with 1,475 hits and 382 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 Ryan Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Ryan Howard's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Ryan Howard's 1,194.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Ryan Howard's 19,167.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Miguel Cabrera
Ryan Howard
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera and Ryan Howard. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Miguel Cabrera | Ryan Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,797 | 1,572 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,356 | 5,707 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 848 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 1,475 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 277 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 21 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 1,194 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,258 | 709 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,105 | 1,843 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 40 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .258 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .382 | .343 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .518 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: .901 | .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera outpaces Ryan Howard 49,680 to 19,167 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,366 PIV per season to 1,474, across 21 seasons to 13. 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
Ryan Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ryan Howard owns no headline categories. 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 Ryan Howard careers compare
From 2004 through 2016, Miguel Cabrera and Ryan Howard were in the majors together. The table compares 2,797 games of Miguel Cabrera with 1,572 of Ryan Howard across 21 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Ryan Howard comes out ahead, it is in triples (21 to 17). At the plate, Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258), and Ryan Howard struck out more than walked (1,843 to 709). Ryan Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 382 of 1,475 hits leaving the park. Miguel Cabrera's slugging percentage of .518 tops Ryan Howard's .515.
Miguel Cabrera vs Ryan Howard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Miguel Cabrera or Ryan Howard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Miguel Cabrera leads Ryan Howard in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Ryan Howard hit more home runs?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Ryan Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Ryan Howard's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.