Robinson Cano vs Brian McCann: Career Stats Comparison
Robinson Cano has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Brian McCann played 2005–2019 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 Brian McCann (2005–2019) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Robinson Cano finished with 2,639 hits and 335 home runs; Brian McCann finished with 1,590 hits and 282 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 Brian McCann's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS? Robinson Cano, with .839 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robinson Cano, with .301 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits? Robinson Cano, with 2,639 to Brian McCann's 1,590.
- Who drove in more runs? Robinson Cano, with 1,306 to Brian McCann's 1,018.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Robinson Cano, with 25,312 career PIV to Brian McCann's 9,133.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Robinson Cano
Brian McCann
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Robinson Cano and Brian McCann. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Robinson Cano | Brian McCann |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,267 | 1,755 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,773 | 6,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,262 | 742 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,639 | 1,590 |
| Doubles | Leads: 572 | 294 |
| Triples | Leads: 33 | 5 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 335 | 282 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,306 | 1,018 |
| Walks | 620 | Leads: 640 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,054 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 51 | 25 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .262 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .351 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .488 | .452 |
| OPS | Leads: .839 | .789 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robinson Cano outpaces Brian McCann 25,312 to 9,133 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,332 PIV per season to 609, across 19 seasons to 15. 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
Brian McCann — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robinson Cano leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Brian McCann owns no headline categories. 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 Brian McCann careers compare
The careers of Robinson Cano (2005–2022) and Brian McCann (2005–2019) overlapped from 2005 to 2019, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,267 games against 1,755 across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Brian McCann's edges on the table are walks (640 to 620). Robinson Cano struck out more than walked (1,214 to 620); Brian McCann struck out more than walked (1,054 to 640). Home runs make up a larger share of Brian McCann's hits: 335 of 2,639 for Robinson Cano, 282 of 1,590 for Brian McCann. Robinson Cano's slugging percentage of .488 tops Brian McCann's .452.
Robinson Cano vs Brian McCann: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robinson Cano or Brian McCann?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robinson Cano leads Brian McCann in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Robinson Cano or Brian McCann hit more home runs?
- Robinson Cano, with 335 to Brian McCann's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Robinson Cano, with .839 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robinson Cano, with .301 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Robinson Cano, with 2,639 to Brian McCann's 1,590.