Miguel Cabrera vs Ivan Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Ivan Rodriguez played 1991–2011 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 Ivan Rodriguez (1991–2011) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs; Ivan Rodriguez finished with 2,844 hits and 311 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 Ivan Rodriguez's 311.
- Who had the higher OPS? Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Ivan Rodriguez's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Ivan Rodriguez's .296.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Ivan Rodriguez's 2,844.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Ivan Rodriguez's 1,332.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Ivan Rodriguez's 10,232.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Miguel Cabrera
Ivan Rodriguez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera and Ivan Rodriguez. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Miguel Cabrera | Ivan Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,797 | 2,543 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,356 | 9,592 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,354 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 2,844 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 572 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 51 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 311 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 1,332 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,258 | 513 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,105 | 1,474 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 127 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .296 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .382 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .518 | .464 |
| OPS | Leads: .901 | .798 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera outpaces Ivan Rodriguez 49,680 to 10,232 — driven by per-season impact — 2,366 PIV per season to 445 — rather than by longevity, since Miguel Cabrera played 21 seasons to Ivan Rodriguez's 23. 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
Ivan Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ivan Rodriguez owns 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 Ivan Rodriguez careers compare
From 2003 through 2011, Miguel Cabrera and Ivan Rodriguez were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,797 games for Miguel Cabrera and 2,543 for Ivan Rodriguez across 21 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ivan Rodriguez's edges on the table are triples (51 to 17) and stolen bases (127 to 40). Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258); Ivan Rodriguez struck out more than walked (1,474 to 513). Miguel Cabrera is the more power-leaning hitter, with 511 of 3,174 hits leaving the park. Ivan Rodriguez was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Miguel Cabrera vs Ivan Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Miguel Cabrera or Ivan Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Miguel Cabrera leads Ivan Rodriguez in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Ivan Rodriguez hit more home runs?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Ivan Rodriguez's 311.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Ivan Rodriguez's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Ivan Rodriguez's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Ivan Rodriguez's 2,844.