Nelson Cruz vs Magglio Ordonez: Career Stats Comparison
Nelson Cruz and Magglio Ordonez are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nelson Cruz played 2005–2023 as a hitter; Magglio Ordonez played 1997–2011 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
Nelson Cruz (2005–2023) and Magglio Ordonez (1997–2011) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nelson Cruz finished with 2,053 hits and 464 home runs; Magglio Ordonez finished with 2,156 hits and 294 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Nelson Cruz, with 464 to Magglio Ordonez's 294.
- Who had the higher OPS? Magglio Ordonez, with .871 to Nelson Cruz's .856.
- Who had the higher batting average? Magglio Ordonez, with .309 to Nelson Cruz's .274.
- Who had more hits? Magglio Ordonez, with 2,156 to Nelson Cruz's 2,053.
- Who drove in more runs? Nelson Cruz, with 1,325 to Magglio Ordonez's 1,236.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nelson Cruz, with 25,334 career PIV to Magglio Ordonez's 22,173.
Nelson Cruz
Magglio Ordonez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nelson Cruz and Magglio Ordonez. 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 | Nelson Cruz | Magglio Ordonez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,055 | 1,848 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,501 | 6,978 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,090 | 1,076 |
| Hits | 2,053 | Leads: 2,156 |
| Doubles | 372 | Leads: 426 |
| Triples | 15 | Leads: 21 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 464 | 294 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,325 | 1,236 |
| Walks | Leads: 738 | 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,916 | 852 |
| Stolen Bases | 84 | Leads: 94 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .309 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .369 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .513 | .502 |
| OPS | .856 | Leads: .871 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nelson Cruz leads Magglio Ordonez 25,334 to 22,173 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Nelson Cruz played 20 seasons to Magglio Ordonez's 15, while Magglio Ordonez carries the higher per-season figure (1,478 to 1,267). 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).
Nelson Cruz — top 3 seasons by OPS
Magglio Ordonez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Magglio Ordonez leads in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Nelson Cruz owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Magglio Ordonez. Note that PIV actually grades Nelson Cruz ahead, which means Magglio Ordonez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nelson Cruz and Magglio Ordonez careers compare
The careers of Nelson Cruz (2005–2023) and Magglio Ordonez (1997–2011) overlapped from 2005 to 2011, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,055 games for Nelson Cruz and 1,848 for Magglio Ordonez across 20 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Nelson Cruz struck out more than walked (1,916 to 738); Magglio Ordonez struck out more than walked (852 to 651). Home runs make up a larger share of Nelson Cruz's hits: 464 of 2,053 for Nelson Cruz, 294 of 2,156 for Magglio Ordonez.
Nelson Cruz vs Magglio Ordonez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Nelson Cruz or Magglio Ordonez hit more home runs?
- Nelson Cruz, with 464 to Magglio Ordonez's 294.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Magglio Ordonez, with .871 to Nelson Cruz's .856.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Magglio Ordonez, with .309 to Nelson Cruz's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Magglio Ordonez, with 2,156 to Nelson Cruz's 2,053.