Robinson Cano vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro 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; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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 Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — 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; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Robinson Cano's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robinson Cano, with .301 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Robinson Cano's 2,639.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Robinson Cano's 1,306.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Robinson Cano's 25,312.
- Who won more championships? Robinson Cano, with 1 World Series title to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Robinson Cano
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Robinson Cano and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,267 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 8,773 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,262 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,639 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 572 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | 33 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 335 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,306 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 620 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .288 |
| On-Base % | .351 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | .488 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .839 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Robinson Cano 42,814 to 25,312 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,141 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
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro 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 Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro 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 Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
The careers of Robinson Cano (2005–2022) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) overlapped from 2005 to 2005, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,267 games against 2,831 across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Robinson Cano's edges on the table are batting average (.301 to .288). At the plate, Robinson Cano struck out more than walked (1,214 to 620), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Rafael Palmeiro is the more power-leaning hitter, with 569 of 3,020 hits leaving the park. Rafael Palmeiro's on-base percentage of .371 tops Robinson Cano's .351.
Robinson Cano vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robinson Cano or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Robinson Cano in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Robinson Cano or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Robinson Cano's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robinson Cano, with .301 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Robinson Cano's 2,639.