Robinson Cano vs David Ortiz: Career Stats Comparison
David Ortiz has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; David Ortiz played 1997–2016 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 David Ortiz (1997–2016) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Robinson Cano finished with 2,639 hits and 335 home runs; David Ortiz finished with 2,472 hits and 541 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? David Ortiz, with 541 to Robinson Cano's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS? David Ortiz, with .931 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robinson Cano, with .301 to David Ortiz's .286.
- Who had more hits? Robinson Cano, with 2,639 to David Ortiz's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? David Ortiz, with 1,768 to Robinson Cano's 1,306.
- Who has the higher career PIV? David Ortiz, with 46,358 career PIV to Robinson Cano's 25,312.
- Who won more championships? David Ortiz, with 3 World Series titles to Robinson Cano's 1.
Robinson Cano
David Ortiz
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Robinson Cano and David Ortiz. 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 | Robinson Cano | David Ortiz |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,267 | Leads: 2,408 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,773 | 8,640 |
| Runs | 1,262 | Leads: 1,419 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,639 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | 572 | Leads: 632 |
| Triples | Leads: 33 | 19 |
| Home Runs | 335 | Leads: 541 |
| RBI | 1,306 | Leads: 1,768 |
| Walks | 620 | Leads: 1,319 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,750 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 51 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .286 |
| On-Base % | .351 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .488 | Leads: .552 |
| OPS | .839 | Leads: .931 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Ortiz outpaces Robinson Cano 46,358 to 25,312 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,318 PIV per season to 1,332, across 20 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
David Ortiz — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Ortiz leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Robinson Cano owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Ortiz. PIV agrees: David Ortiz 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 David Ortiz careers compare
From 2005 through 2016, Robinson Cano and David Ortiz were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,267 games for Robinson Cano and 2,408 for David Ortiz across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Robinson Cano struck out more than walked (1,214 to 620); David Ortiz struck out more than walked (1,750 to 1,319). Home runs make up a larger share of David Ortiz's hits: 335 of 2,639 for Robinson Cano, 541 of 2,472 for David Ortiz. In slugging percentage, David Ortiz holds the edge, .552 to .488.
Robinson Cano vs David Ortiz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robinson Cano or David Ortiz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Ortiz leads Robinson Cano in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Robinson Cano or David Ortiz hit more home runs?
- David Ortiz, with 541 to Robinson Cano's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- David Ortiz, with .931 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robinson Cano, with .301 to David Ortiz's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Robinson Cano, with 2,639 to David Ortiz's 2,472.