Todd Helton vs Ryan Howard: Career Stats Comparison
Todd Helton has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Todd Helton played 1997–2013 as a hitter; Ryan Howard played 2004–2016 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
Todd Helton (1997–2013) and Ryan Howard (2004–2016) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Todd Helton finished with 2,519 hits and 369 home runs; Ryan Howard finished with 1,475 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ryan Howard, with 382 to Todd Helton's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS? Todd Helton, with .953 to Ryan Howard's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Todd Helton, with .316 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits? Todd Helton, with 2,519 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.
- Who drove in more runs? Todd Helton, with 1,406 to Ryan Howard's 1,194.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Todd Helton, with 48,515 career PIV to Ryan Howard's 19,167.
- Who won more championships? Ryan Howard, with 1 World Series title to Todd Helton's 0.
Todd Helton
Ryan Howard
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Todd Helton and Ryan Howard. 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 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Todd Helton | Ryan Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,247 | 1,572 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,962 | 5,707 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,401 | 848 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,519 | 1,475 |
| Doubles | Leads: 592 | 277 |
| Triples | Leads: 37 | 21 |
| Home Runs | 369 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,406 | 1,194 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,335 | 709 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,175 | 1,843 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 37 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .316 | .258 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .414 | .343 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .539 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: .953 | .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Todd Helton outpaces Ryan Howard 48,515 to 19,167 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,854 PIV per season to 1,474, across 17 seasons to 13. 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).
Todd Helton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ryan Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Todd Helton leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ryan Howard owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Todd Helton. PIV agrees: Todd Helton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Todd Helton and Ryan Howard careers compare
Todd Helton and Ryan Howard were active at the same time between 2004 and 2013. The two careers are close in length, 2,247 games for Todd Helton and 1,572 for Ryan Howard across 17 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Ryan Howard comes out ahead, it is in home runs (382 to 369). Plate discipline differs: Todd Helton walked more often than struck out (1,335 walks, 1,175 strikeouts), but Ryan Howard struck out more than walked (1,843 to 709). Ryan Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 382 of 1,475 hits leaving the park. Todd Helton's on-base percentage of .414 tops Ryan Howard's .343.
Todd Helton vs Ryan Howard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Todd Helton or Ryan Howard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Todd Helton leads Ryan Howard in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Todd Helton or Ryan Howard hit more home runs?
- Ryan Howard, with 382 to Todd Helton's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Todd Helton, with .953 to Ryan Howard's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Todd Helton, with .316 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits?
- Todd Helton, with 2,519 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.