Robinson Cano vs Nellie Fox: Career Stats Comparison
Robinson Cano and Nellie Fox are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Robinson Cano played 2005–2022 as a hitter; Nellie Fox played 1947–1965 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
Robinson Cano (2005–2022) and Nellie Fox (1947–1965) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Robinson Cano finished with 2,639 hits and 335 home runs; Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Robinson Cano, with 335 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Robinson Cano, with .839 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robinson Cano, with .301 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Robinson Cano's 2,639.
- Who drove in more runs? Robinson Cano, with 1,306 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Robinson Cano, with 25,312 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Robinson Cano, with 1 World Series title to Nellie Fox's 0.
Robinson Cano
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Robinson Cano and Nellie Fox. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Robinson Cano | Nellie Fox |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,267 | Leads: 2,367 |
| At-Bats | 8,773 | Leads: 9,232 |
| Runs | 1,262 | Leads: 1,279 |
| Hits | 2,639 | Leads: 2,663 |
| Doubles | Leads: 572 | 355 |
| Triples | 33 | Leads: 112 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 335 | 35 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,306 | 790 |
| Walks | 620 | Leads: 719 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 216 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 76 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .351 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .488 | .363 |
| OPS | Leads: .839 | .710 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robinson Cano outpaces Nellie Fox 25,312 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 1,332 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Robinson Cano played 19 seasons to Nellie Fox's 19. 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).
Robinson Cano — top 3 seasons by OPS
Nellie Fox — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robinson Cano leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Nellie Fox owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Robinson Cano. PIV agrees: Robinson Cano grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Robinson Cano and Nellie Fox careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Nellie Fox's ended in 1965, and Robinson Cano debuted in 2005. The two careers are close in length, 2,267 games for Robinson Cano and 2,367 for Nellie Fox across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Robinson Cano struck out more than walked (1,214 to 620), but Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Robinson Cano's hits: 335 of 2,639 for Robinson Cano, 35 of 2,663 for Nellie Fox. Robinson Cano's slugging percentage of .488 tops Nellie Fox's .363.
Robinson Cano vs Nellie Fox: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Robinson Cano or Nellie Fox hit more home runs?
- Robinson Cano, with 335 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Robinson Cano, with .839 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robinson Cano, with .301 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Robinson Cano's 2,639.