Ryan Howard vs Matt Olson: Career Stats Comparison
Ryan Howard has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Matt Olson has played 2016–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
Ryan Howard (2004–2016) and Matt Olson (2016–present) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ryan Howard finished with 1,475 hits and 382 home runs; Matt Olson has 1,312 hits and 329 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? Ryan Howard, with 382 to Matt Olson's 329.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Howard, with .859 to Matt Olson's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ryan Howard, with .258 to Matt Olson's .256.
- Who had more hits? Ryan Howard, with 1,475 to Matt Olson's 1,312.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Howard, with 1,194 to Matt Olson's 901.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ryan Howard, with 19,167 career PIV to Matt Olson's 17,319.
- Who won more championships? Ryan Howard, with 1 World Series title to Matt Olson's 0.
Ryan Howard
Matt Olson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Howard and Matt Olson. 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 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Matt Olson is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Ryan Howard | Matt Olson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,572 | 1,385 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,707 | 5,121 |
| Runs | Leads: 848 | 811 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,475 | 1,312 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 284 |
| Triples | Leads: 21 | 7 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 329 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,194 | 901 |
| Walks | Leads: 709 | 677 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,843 | 1,409 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 13 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .258 | .256 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .347 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .507 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Howard leads Matt Olson 19,167 to 17,319 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ryan Howard played 13 seasons to Matt Olson's 10, while Matt Olson carries the higher per-season figure (1,732 to 1,474). 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
Matt Olson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ryan Howard leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Matt Olson owns stolen bases and OBP. 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 Matt Olson careers compare
Ryan Howard and Matt Olson were active at the same time between 2016 and 2016. The two careers are close in length, 1,572 games for Ryan Howard and 1,385 for Matt Olson across 13 and 10 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Matt Olson's edges on the table are doubles (284 to 277), stolen bases (13 to 12), and on-base percentage (.347 to .343). Ryan Howard struck out more than walked (1,843 to 709); Matt Olson struck out more than walked (1,409 to 677). Matt Olson's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Ryan Howard vs Matt Olson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Howard or Matt Olson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ryan Howard leads Matt Olson in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Howard or Matt Olson hit more home runs?
- Ryan Howard, with 382 to Matt Olson's 329.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Howard, with .859 to Matt Olson's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ryan Howard, with .258 to Matt Olson's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Ryan Howard, with 1,475 to Matt Olson's 1,312.