Miguel Cabrera vs Jim Thome: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera and Jim Thome are close to even, splitting the 14 statistical categories compared on this page 7–7. Miguel Cabrera has played 2003–present as a hitter; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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–present) and Jim Thome (1991–2012) — 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; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Jim Thome's 2,328.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Jim Thome's 1,699.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Miguel Cabrera's 49,680.
- Who won more championships? Miguel Cabrera, with 1 World Series title to Jim Thome's 0.
Miguel Cabrera
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera and Jim Thome. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Miguel Cabrera | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,797 | 2,543 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,356 | 8,422 |
| Runs | 1,551 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 2,328 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 451 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 26 |
| Home Runs | 511 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 1,699 |
| Walks | 1,258 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts | 2,105 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 40 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .382 | Leads: .402 |
| Slugging % | .518 | Leads: .554 |
| OPS | .901 | Leads: .956 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome edges Miguel Cabrera 51,664 to 49,680 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,067 vs 2,366 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Thome leads in home runs, runs, OBP, and OPS, while Miguel Cabrera owns hits, RBI, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Thome. PIV agrees: Jim Thome grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Miguel Cabrera vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Jim Thome's 2,328.