Rogers Hornsby vs Alex Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Alex Rodriguez 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). Rogers Hornsby played 1915–1937 as a hitter; Alex Rodriguez played 1994–2016 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
Rogers Hornsby (1915–1937) and Alex Rodriguez (1994–2016) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 home runs; Alex Rodriguez finished with 3,115 hits and 696 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Alex Rodriguez's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Alex Rodriguez's .295.
- Who had more hits? Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Rogers Hornsby's 2,930.
- Who drove in more runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 2,086 to Rogers Hornsby's 1,584.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Alex Rodriguez's 54,389.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Rogers Hornsby
Alex Rodriguez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rogers Hornsby and Alex Rodriguez. 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 1910s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rogers Hornsby | Alex Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,259 | Leads: 2,784 |
| At-Bats | 8,173 | Leads: 10,566 |
| Runs | 1,579 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Hits | 2,930 | Leads: 3,115 |
| Doubles | 541 | Leads: 548 |
| Triples | Leads: 169 | 31 |
| Home Runs | 301 | Leads: 696 |
| RBI | 1,584 | Leads: 2,086 |
| Walks | 1,038 | Leads: 1,338 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 679 | 2,287 |
| Stolen Bases | 135 | Leads: 329 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .358 | .295 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .434 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .577 | .550 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.010 | .930 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby leads Alex Rodriguez 68,443 to 54,389 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,852 PIV per season to 2,472, across 24 seasons to 22. 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).
Rogers Hornsby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Alex Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Alex Rodriguez leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Rogers Hornsby owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Alex Rodriguez. Note that PIV actually grades Rogers Hornsby ahead, which means Alex Rodriguez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rogers Hornsby and Alex Rodriguez careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rogers Hornsby's ended in 1937, and Alex Rodriguez debuted in 1994. With 2,259 games against 2,784 across 24 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts), but Alex Rodriguez struck out more than walked (2,287 to 1,338). Alex Rodriguez is the more power-leaning hitter, with 696 of 3,115 hits leaving the park. Alex Rodriguez was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Rogers Hornsby's slugging percentage of .577 tops Alex Rodriguez's .550.
Rogers Hornsby vs Alex Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rogers Hornsby or Alex Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Alex Rodriguez leads Rogers Hornsby in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rogers Hornsby or Alex Rodriguez hit more home runs?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Alex Rodriguez's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Alex Rodriguez's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Rogers Hornsby's 2,930.