Robinson Cano vs Albert Pujols: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols 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; Albert Pujols played 2001–2022 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 Albert Pujols (2001–2022) — 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; Albert Pujols finished with 3,384 hits and 703 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Albert Pujols, with 703 to Robinson Cano's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS? Albert Pujols, with .918 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robinson Cano, with .301 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits? Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Robinson Cano's 2,639.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Robinson Cano's 1,306.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Albert Pujols, with 58,591 career PIV to Robinson Cano's 25,312.
- Who won more championships? Albert Pujols, with 2 World Series titles to Robinson Cano's 1.
Robinson Cano
Albert Pujols
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Robinson Cano and Albert Pujols. 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 | Albert Pujols |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,267 | Leads: 3,080 |
| At-Bats | 8,773 | Leads: 11,421 |
| Runs | 1,262 | Leads: 1,914 |
| Hits | 2,639 | Leads: 3,384 |
| Doubles | 572 | Leads: 686 |
| Triples | Leads: 33 | 16 |
| Home Runs | 335 | Leads: 703 |
| RBI | 1,306 | Leads: 2,218 |
| Walks | 620 | Leads: 1,373 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,404 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 117 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .296 |
| On-Base % | .351 | Leads: .374 |
| Slugging % | .488 | Leads: .544 |
| OPS | .839 | Leads: .918 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Albert Pujols outpaces Robinson Cano 58,591 to 25,312 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,547 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
Albert Pujols — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Albert Pujols 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 Albert Pujols. PIV agrees: Albert Pujols 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 Albert Pujols careers compare
From 2005 through 2022, Robinson Cano and Albert Pujols were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,267 games for Robinson Cano and 3,080 for Albert Pujols across 19 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Robinson Cano are triples (33 to 16) and batting average (.301 to .296). Robinson Cano struck out more than walked (1,214 to 620); Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373). Home runs make up a larger share of Albert Pujols's hits: 335 of 2,639 for Robinson Cano, 703 of 3,384 for Albert Pujols.
Robinson Cano vs Albert Pujols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robinson Cano or Albert Pujols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Robinson Cano in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Robinson Cano or Albert Pujols hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Robinson Cano's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Albert Pujols, with .918 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robinson Cano, with .301 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Robinson Cano's 2,639.