Nelson Cruz vs Kyle Schwarber: Career Stats Comparison
Nelson Cruz has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nelson Cruz played 2005–2023 as a hitter; Kyle Schwarber has played 2015–present 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 Kyle Schwarber (2015–present) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nelson Cruz finished with 2,053 hits and 464 home runs; Kyle Schwarber has 1,185 hits and 385 home runs through October 12, 2026. 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 Kyle Schwarber's 385.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nelson Cruz, with .856 to Kyle Schwarber's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nelson Cruz, with .274 to Kyle Schwarber's .231.
- Who had more hits? Nelson Cruz, with 2,053 to Kyle Schwarber's 1,185.
- Who drove in more runs? Nelson Cruz, with 1,325 to Kyle Schwarber's 881.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nelson Cruz, with 25,334 career PIV to Kyle Schwarber's 16,082.
- Who won more championships? Kyle Schwarber, with 1 World Series title to Nelson Cruz's 0.
Nelson Cruz
Kyle Schwarber
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nelson Cruz and Kyle Schwarber. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Kyle Schwarber is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Nelson Cruz | Kyle Schwarber |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,055 | 1,447 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,501 | 5,125 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,090 | 895 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,053 | 1,185 |
| Doubles | Leads: 372 | 195 |
| Triples | 15 | 15 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 464 | 385 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,325 | 881 |
| Walks | 738 | Leads: 869 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,916 | 1,747 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 84 | 40 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .231 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .347 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .513 | .500 |
| OPS | Leads: .856 | .848 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nelson Cruz outpaces Kyle Schwarber 25,334 to 16,082 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Nelson Cruz played 20 seasons to Kyle Schwarber's 12, while Kyle Schwarber carries the higher per-season figure (1,340 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
Kyle Schwarber — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nelson Cruz leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Kyle Schwarber owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nelson Cruz. PIV agrees: Nelson Cruz grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nelson Cruz and Kyle Schwarber careers compare
The careers of Nelson Cruz (2005–2023) and Kyle Schwarber (2015–present) overlapped from 2015 to 2023, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,055 games against 1,447 across 20 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Kyle Schwarber comes out ahead, it is in walks (869 to 738) and on-base percentage (.347 to .343). Nelson Cruz struck out more than walked (1,916 to 738); Kyle Schwarber struck out more than walked (1,747 to 869). Home runs make up a larger share of Kyle Schwarber's hits: 464 of 2,053 for Nelson Cruz, 385 of 1,185 for Kyle Schwarber. Because Kyle Schwarber is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nelson Cruz vs Kyle Schwarber: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nelson Cruz or Kyle Schwarber?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nelson Cruz leads Kyle Schwarber in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nelson Cruz or Kyle Schwarber hit more home runs?
- Nelson Cruz, with 464 to Kyle Schwarber's 385.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nelson Cruz, with .856 to Kyle Schwarber's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nelson Cruz, with .274 to Kyle Schwarber's .231.
- Who had more hits?
- Nelson Cruz, with 2,053 to Kyle Schwarber's 1,185.