Ken Griffey vs Albert Pujols: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 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
Ken Griffey (1989–2010) and Albert Pujols (2001–2022) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs; 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 hit more home runs? Albert Pujols, with 703 to Ken Griffey's 630.
- Who had the higher OPS? Albert Pujols, with .918 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Albert Pujols, with .296 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Ken Griffey's 1,836.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Albert Pujols, with 58,591 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 43,975.
- Who won more championships? Albert Pujols, with 2 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Ken Griffey
Albert Pujols
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Albert Pujols. 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 1980s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Griffey | Albert Pujols |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,671 | Leads: 3,080 |
| At-Bats | 9,801 | Leads: 11,421 |
| Runs | 1,662 | Leads: 1,914 |
| Hits | 2,781 | Leads: 3,384 |
| Doubles | 524 | Leads: 686 |
| Triples | Leads: 38 | 16 |
| Home Runs | 630 | Leads: 703 |
| RBI | 1,836 | Leads: 2,218 |
| Walks | 1,312 | Leads: 1,373 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,404 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 117 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .374 |
| Slugging % | .538 | Leads: .544 |
| OPS | .907 | Leads: .918 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Albert Pujols leads Ken Griffey 58,591 to 43,975 — driven by per-season impact — 2,547 PIV per season to 1,912 — rather than by longevity, since Albert Pujols played 23 seasons to Ken Griffey's 23. 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).
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Albert Pujols — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Albert Pujols leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ken Griffey owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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 Ken Griffey and Albert Pujols careers compare
Ken Griffey and Albert Pujols were active at the same time between 2001 and 2010. With 2,671 games against 3,080 across 23 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ken Griffey's edges on the table are triples (38 to 16) and stolen bases (184 to 117). Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312); Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373). Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Albert Pujols's slugging percentage of .544 tops Ken Griffey's .538.
Ken Griffey vs Albert Pujols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Albert Pujols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Ken Griffey in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Albert Pujols hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Ken Griffey's 630.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Albert Pujols, with .918 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Albert Pujols, with .296 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.