Robinson Cano vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey 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). Robinson Cano played 2005–2022 as a hitter; Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 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 Ken Griffey (1989–2010) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Robinson Cano finished with 2,639 hits and 335 home runs; Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey, with 630 to Robinson Cano's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey, with .907 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robinson Cano, with .301 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Robinson Cano's 2,639.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Robinson Cano's 1,306.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 43,975 career PIV to Robinson Cano's 25,312.
- Who won more championships? Robinson Cano, with 1 World Series title to Ken Griffey's 0.
Robinson Cano
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Robinson Cano and Ken Griffey. 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 | Robinson Cano | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,267 | Leads: 2,671 |
| At-Bats | 8,773 | Leads: 9,801 |
| Runs | 1,262 | Leads: 1,662 |
| Hits | 2,639 | Leads: 2,781 |
| Doubles | Leads: 572 | 524 |
| Triples | 33 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 335 | Leads: 630 |
| RBI | 1,306 | Leads: 1,836 |
| Walks | 620 | Leads: 1,312 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,779 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .284 |
| On-Base % | .351 | Leads: .370 |
| Slugging % | .488 | Leads: .538 |
| OPS | .839 | Leads: .907 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey outpaces Robinson Cano 43,975 to 25,312 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,912 PIV per season to 1,332, across 23 seasons to 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
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Robinson Cano owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. PIV agrees: Ken Griffey 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 Ken Griffey careers compare
Robinson Cano and Ken Griffey were active at the same time between 2005 and 2010. The two careers are close in length, 2,267 games for Robinson Cano and 2,671 for Ken Griffey across 19 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Robinson Cano's edges on the table are doubles (572 to 524) and batting average (.301 to .284). At the plate, Robinson Cano struck out more than walked (1,214 to 620), and Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312). Ken Griffey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 630 of 2,781 hits leaving the park. Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Robinson Cano vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robinson Cano or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Robinson Cano in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Robinson Cano or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Robinson Cano's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey, with .907 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robinson Cano, with .301 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Robinson Cano's 2,639.