Elston Howard vs Salvador Perez: Career Stats Comparison
Salvador Perez 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). Elston Howard played 1955–1968 as a hitter; Salvador Perez has played 2011–present 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
Elston Howard (1955–1968) and Salvador Perez (2011–present) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Elston Howard finished with 1,491 hits and 168 home runs; Salvador Perez has 1,845 hits and 324 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Salvador Perez, with 324 to Elston Howard's 168.
- Who had the higher OPS? Salvador Perez, with .750 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average? Elston Howard, with .274 to Salvador Perez's .261.
- Who had more hits? Salvador Perez, with 1,845 to Elston Howard's 1,491.
- Who drove in more runs? Salvador Perez, with 1,094 to Elston Howard's 775.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Elston Howard, with 6,426 career PIV to Salvador Perez's 4,622.
- Who won more championships? Elston Howard, with 4 World Series titles to Salvador Perez's 1.
Elston Howard
Salvador Perez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Elston Howard and Salvador Perez. 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 1950s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Salvador Perez is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Elston Howard | Salvador Perez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,625 | Leads: 1,859 |
| At-Bats | 5,443 | Leads: 7,057 |
| Runs | 635 | Leads: 760 |
| Hits | 1,491 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Doubles | 223 | Leads: 344 |
| Triples | Leads: 53 | 12 |
| Home Runs | 168 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | 775 | Leads: 1,094 |
| Walks | Leads: 376 | 296 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 786 | 1,422 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 10 | 7 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .261 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .321 | .299 |
| Slugging % | .427 | Leads: .451 |
| OPS | .748 | Leads: .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Elston Howard outpaces Salvador Perez 6,426 to 4,622 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 402 PIV per season to 330, across 16 seasons to 14. 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).
Elston Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Salvador Perez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Salvador Perez leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Elston Howard owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Salvador Perez. Note that PIV actually grades Elston Howard ahead, which means Salvador Perez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Elston Howard and Salvador Perez careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Elston Howard's ended in 1968, and Salvador Perez debuted in 2011. The two careers are close in length, 1,625 games for Elston Howard and 1,859 for Salvador Perez across 16 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Elston Howard struck out more than walked (786 to 376), and Salvador Perez struck out more than walked (1,422 to 296). Salvador Perez is the more power-leaning hitter, with 324 of 1,845 hits leaving the park. Elston Howard's on-base percentage of .321 tops Salvador Perez's .299. Because Salvador Perez is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Elston Howard vs Salvador Perez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Elston Howard or Salvador Perez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Salvador Perez leads Elston Howard in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Elston Howard or Salvador Perez hit more home runs?
- Salvador Perez, with 324 to Elston Howard's 168.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Salvador Perez, with .750 to Elston Howard's .748.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Elston Howard, with .274 to Salvador Perez's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Salvador Perez, with 1,845 to Elston Howard's 1,491.