Paul Goldschmidt vs Albert Pujols: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Paul Goldschmidt has played 2011–present 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
Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) and Albert Pujols (2001–2022) — they debuted in the 2010s and the 2000s respectively and share 12 seasons. Paul Goldschmidt has 2,277 hits and 390 home runs through the 2026 season; 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 leads the career comparison? Albert Pujols, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Albert Pujols, with 703 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Albert Pujols, with .918 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average? Albert Pujols, with .296 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits? Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Paul Goldschmidt's 1,284.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Albert Pujols, with 58,591 career PIV to Paul Goldschmidt's 35,754.
Paul Goldschmidt
Albert Pujols
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Goldschmidt and Albert Pujols. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Paul Goldschmidt | Albert Pujols |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,179 | 3,080 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,953 | 11,421 |
| Runs | 1,324 | Leads: 1,914 |
| Hits | 2,277 | Leads: 3,384 |
| Doubles | 490 | Leads: 686 |
| Triples | Leads: 25 | 16 |
| Home Runs | 390 | Leads: 703 |
| RBI | 1,284 | Leads: 2,218 |
| Walks | 1,115 | Leads: 1,373 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,065 | 1,404 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 175 | 117 |
| Batting Avg | .286 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .374 |
| Slugging % | .501 | Leads: .544 |
| OPS | .877 | Leads: .918 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Albert Pujols outpaces Paul Goldschmidt 58,591 to 35,754 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,663 PIV per season to 2,235, across 22 seasons to 16. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Paul Goldschmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Albert Pujols — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Albert Pujols leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Paul Goldschmidt leads 3: triples, stolen bases, and on-base percentage. 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 Paul Goldschmidt and Albert Pujols careers compare
Paul Goldschmidt and Albert Pujols were active at the same time between 2011 and 2022. With 2,179 games against 3,080 across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Paul Goldschmidt are triples (25 to 16), stolen bases (175 to 117), and on-base percentage (.375 to .374). At the plate, Paul Goldschmidt struck out more than walked (2,065 to 1,115), and Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373). Paul Goldschmidt was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Albert Pujols holds the edge, .544 to .501. Paul Goldschmidt's totals run through the 2026 season.
Paul Goldschmidt vs Albert Pujols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Goldschmidt or Albert Pujols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Paul Goldschmidt in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Paul Goldschmidt or Albert Pujols hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Albert Pujols, with .918 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Albert Pujols, with .296 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.