Nelson Cruz vs Alfonso Soriano: Career Stats Comparison
Nelson Cruz has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Alfonso Soriano played 1999–2014 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 Alfonso Soriano (1999–2014) — 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; Alfonso Soriano finished with 2,095 hits and 412 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 Alfonso Soriano's 412.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nelson Cruz, with .856 to Alfonso Soriano's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nelson Cruz, with .274 to Alfonso Soriano's .270.
- Who had more hits? Alfonso Soriano, with 2,095 to Nelson Cruz's 2,053.
- Who drove in more runs? Nelson Cruz, with 1,325 to Alfonso Soriano's 1,159.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nelson Cruz, with 25,334 career PIV to Alfonso Soriano's 13,727.
- Who won more championships? Alfonso Soriano, with 2 World Series titles to Nelson Cruz's 0.
Nelson Cruz
Alfonso Soriano
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nelson Cruz and Alfonso Soriano. 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 | Alfonso Soriano |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,055 | 1,975 |
| At-Bats | 7,501 | Leads: 7,750 |
| Runs | 1,090 | Leads: 1,152 |
| Hits | 2,053 | Leads: 2,095 |
| Doubles | 372 | Leads: 481 |
| Triples | 15 | Leads: 31 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 464 | 412 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,325 | 1,159 |
| Walks | Leads: 738 | 496 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,916 | 1,803 |
| Stolen Bases | 84 | Leads: 289 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .270 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .343 | .319 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .513 | .500 |
| OPS | Leads: .856 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nelson Cruz outpaces Alfonso Soriano 25,334 to 13,727 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,267 PIV per season to 807, across 20 seasons to 17. 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
Alfonso Soriano — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nelson Cruz leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Alfonso Soriano owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Alfonso Soriano careers compare
From 2005 through 2014, Nelson Cruz and Alfonso Soriano were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,055 games for Nelson Cruz and 1,975 for Alfonso Soriano across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Nelson Cruz struck out more than walked (1,916 to 738); Alfonso Soriano struck out more than walked (1,803 to 496). On the bases, Alfonso Soriano stole more often per game played (84 steals in 2,055 games for Nelson Cruz, 289 in 1,975 for Alfonso Soriano).
Nelson Cruz vs Alfonso Soriano: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nelson Cruz or Alfonso Soriano?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nelson Cruz leads Alfonso Soriano in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nelson Cruz or Alfonso Soriano hit more home runs?
- Nelson Cruz, with 464 to Alfonso Soriano's 412.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nelson Cruz, with .856 to Alfonso Soriano's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nelson Cruz, with .274 to Alfonso Soriano's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Alfonso Soriano, with 2,095 to Nelson Cruz's 2,053.