Paul Goldschmidt vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Paul Goldschmidt has played 2011–present as a hitter; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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 Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul Goldschmidt has 2,277 hits and 390 home runs through October 12, 2026; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Goldschmidt, with .877 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Goldschmidt, with .286 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Paul Goldschmidt's 1,284.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Goldschmidt, with 35,401 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Cal Ripken, with 1 World Series title to Paul Goldschmidt's 0.
Paul Goldschmidt
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Goldschmidt and Cal Ripken. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Goldschmidt is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Paul Goldschmidt | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,179 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 7,953 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | 1,324 | Leads: 1,647 |
| Hits | 2,277 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 490 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | 25 | Leads: 44 |
| Home Runs | 390 | Leads: 431 |
| RBI | 1,284 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks | 1,115 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,065 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 175 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .286 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .501 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .877 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Goldschmidt outpaces Cal Ripken 35,401 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 2,360 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Paul Goldschmidt played 15 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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).
Paul Goldschmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Goldschmidt leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Cal Ripken owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Goldschmidt. PIV agrees: Paul Goldschmidt 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 Cal Ripken careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Cal Ripken's ended in 2001, and Paul Goldschmidt debuted in 2011. The two careers are close in length, 2,179 games for Paul Goldschmidt and 3,001 for Cal Ripken across 15 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Paul Goldschmidt struck out more than walked (2,065 to 1,115), and Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). Paul Goldschmidt was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Paul Goldschmidt holds the edge, .501 to .447. Because Paul Goldschmidt is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Paul Goldschmidt vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Goldschmidt or Cal Ripken?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Paul Goldschmidt in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Goldschmidt or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Goldschmidt, with .877 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Goldschmidt, with .286 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.