Miguel Cabrera vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera and Rafael Palmeiro 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; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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 Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS? Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Rafael Palmeiro's 1,835.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Rafael Palmeiro's 42,814.
- Who won more championships? Miguel Cabrera, with 1 World Series title to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Miguel Cabrera
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Miguel Cabrera | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,797 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 10,356 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,551 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 3,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 585 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 511 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 1,835 |
| Walks | 1,258 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,105 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .382 | .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .518 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: .901 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera leads Rafael Palmeiro 49,680 to 42,814 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,366 PIV per season to 2,141, across 21 seasons to 20. 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
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera leads in hits, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Rafael Palmeiro owns home runs, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
From 2003 through 2005, Miguel Cabrera and Rafael Palmeiro were in the majors together. With 2,797 games against 2,831 across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258), but Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Miguel Cabrera's slugging percentage of .518 tops Rafael Palmeiro's .515. Miguel Cabrera owns the better peak by OPS: 1.078 OPS in 2013 for Miguel Cabrera against 1.050 OPS in 1999 for Rafael Palmeiro.
Miguel Cabrera vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.