Willson Contreras vs Elston Howard: Career Stats Comparison
Willson Contreras and Elston Howard are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Willson Contreras has played 2016–present as a hitter; Elston Howard played 1955–1968 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
Willson Contreras (2016–present) and Elston Howard (1955–1968) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willson Contreras has 1,077 hits and 199 home runs through October 12, 2026; Elston Howard finished with 1,491 hits and 168 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willson Contreras, with 199 to Elston Howard's 168.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willson Contreras, with .821 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average? Elston Howard, with .274 to Willson Contreras's .260.
- Who had more hits? Elston Howard, with 1,491 to Willson Contreras's 1,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Elston Howard, with 775 to Willson Contreras's 629.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willson Contreras, with 8,983 career PIV to Elston Howard's 6,426.
- Who won more championships? Elston Howard, with 4 World Series titles to Willson Contreras's 1.
Willson Contreras
Elston Howard
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willson Contreras and Elston Howard. 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 2010s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Willson Contreras is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Willson Contreras | Elston Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,208 | Leads: 1,625 |
| At-Bats | 4,148 | Leads: 5,443 |
| Runs | 594 | Leads: 635 |
| Hits | 1,077 | Leads: 1,491 |
| Doubles | Leads: 229 | 223 |
| Triples | 14 | Leads: 53 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 199 | 168 |
| RBI | 629 | Leads: 775 |
| Walks | Leads: 478 | 376 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,170 | 786 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 40 | 10 |
| Batting Avg | .260 | Leads: .274 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .321 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .466 | .427 |
| OPS | Leads: .821 | .748 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willson Contreras outpaces Elston Howard 8,983 to 6,426 — driven by per-season impact — 898 PIV per season to 402 — rather than by longevity, since Willson Contreras played 10 seasons to Elston Howard's 16. 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).
Willson Contreras — top 3 seasons by OPS
Elston Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willson Contreras leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Elston Howard owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willson Contreras. PIV agrees: Willson Contreras grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willson Contreras and Elston Howard careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Elston Howard's ended in 1968, and Willson Contreras debuted in 2016. With 1,208 games against 1,625 across 10 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Willson Contreras struck out more than walked (1,170 to 478), and Elston Howard struck out more than walked (786 to 376). Willson Contreras is the more power-leaning hitter, with 199 of 1,077 hits leaving the park. Willson Contreras's slugging percentage of .466 tops Elston Howard's .427. Best seasons: 2026 (in progress) for Willson Contreras (.901 OPS, 27 HR, 81 RBI, .275 avg) and 1961 for Elston Howard (.936 OPS, 21 HR, 77 RBI, .348 avg). Willson Contreras's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Willson Contreras vs Elston Howard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Willson Contreras or Elston Howard hit more home runs?
- Willson Contreras, with 199 to Elston Howard's 168.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willson Contreras, with .821 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Elston Howard, with .274 to Willson Contreras's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Elston Howard, with 1,491 to Willson Contreras's 1,077.