Ryan Howard vs Brian McCann: Career Stats Comparison
Ryan Howard has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ryan Howard played 2004–2016 as a hitter; Brian McCann played 2005–2019 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
Ryan Howard (2004–2016) and Brian McCann (2005–2019) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ryan Howard finished with 1,475 hits and 382 home runs; Brian McCann finished with 1,590 hits and 282 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 Brian McCann's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Howard, with .859 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average? Brian McCann, with .262 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits? Brian McCann, with 1,590 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Howard, with 1,194 to Brian McCann's 1,018.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ryan Howard, with 19,167 career PIV to Brian McCann's 9,133.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Ryan Howard
Brian McCann
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Howard and Brian McCann. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ryan Howard | Brian McCann |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,572 | Leads: 1,755 |
| At-Bats | 5,707 | Leads: 6,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 848 | 742 |
| Hits | 1,475 | Leads: 1,590 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 294 |
| Triples | Leads: 21 | 5 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 282 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,194 | 1,018 |
| Walks | Leads: 709 | 640 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,843 | 1,054 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 25 |
| Batting Avg | .258 | Leads: .262 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .343 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .452 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .789 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Howard outpaces Brian McCann 19,167 to 9,133 — driven by per-season impact — 1,474 PIV per season to 609 — rather than by longevity, since Ryan Howard played 13 seasons to Brian McCann's 15. 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).
Ryan Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Brian McCann — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ryan Howard leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Brian McCann owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ryan Howard. PIV agrees: Ryan Howard grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ryan Howard and Brian McCann careers compare
Ryan Howard and Brian McCann were active at the same time between 2005 and 2016. With 1,572 games against 1,755 across 13 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ryan Howard struck out more than walked (1,843 to 709); Brian McCann struck out more than walked (1,054 to 640). Home runs make up a larger share of Ryan Howard's hits: 382 of 1,475 for Ryan Howard, 282 of 1,590 for Brian McCann. Ryan Howard owns the better peak by OPS: 1.084 OPS in 2006 for Ryan Howard against .961 OPS in 2006 for Brian McCann.
Ryan Howard vs Brian McCann: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Howard or Brian McCann?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ryan Howard leads Brian McCann in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Howard or Brian McCann hit more home runs?
- Ryan Howard, with 382 to Brian McCann's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Howard, with .859 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Brian McCann, with .262 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits?
- Brian McCann, with 1,590 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.