Ryan Howard vs Jorge Posada: Career Stats Comparison
Jorge Posada 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). Ryan Howard played 2004–2016 as a hitter; Jorge Posada played 1995–2011 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 Jorge Posada (1995–2011) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ryan Howard finished with 1,475 hits and 382 home runs; Jorge Posada finished with 1,664 hits and 275 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 Jorge Posada's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Howard, with .859 to Jorge Posada's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jorge Posada, with .273 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits? Jorge Posada, with 1,664 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Howard, with 1,194 to Jorge Posada's 1,065.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ryan Howard, with 19,167 career PIV to Jorge Posada's 17,843.
- Who won more championships? Jorge Posada, with 5 World Series titles to Ryan Howard's 1.
Ryan Howard
Jorge Posada
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Howard and Jorge Posada. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ryan Howard | Jorge Posada |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,572 | Leads: 1,829 |
| At-Bats | 5,707 | Leads: 6,092 |
| Runs | 848 | Leads: 900 |
| Hits | 1,475 | Leads: 1,664 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 379 |
| Triples | Leads: 21 | 10 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 275 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,194 | 1,065 |
| Walks | 709 | Leads: 936 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,843 | 1,453 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 20 |
| Batting Avg | .258 | Leads: .273 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .374 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .474 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .848 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Howard edges Jorge Posada 19,167 to 17,843 — driven by per-season impact — 1,474 PIV per season to 1,050 — rather than by longevity, since Ryan Howard played 13 seasons to Jorge Posada's 17. 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
Jorge Posada — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jorge Posada leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ryan Howard owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jorge Posada. Note that PIV actually grades Ryan Howard ahead, which means Jorge Posada's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ryan Howard and Jorge Posada careers compare
The careers of Ryan Howard (2004–2016) and Jorge Posada (1995–2011) overlapped from 2004 to 2011, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,572 games for Ryan Howard and 1,829 for Jorge Posada across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Ryan Howard struck out more than walked (1,843 to 709), and Jorge Posada struck out more than walked (1,453 to 936). Ryan Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 382 of 1,475 hits leaving the park. Ryan Howard's slugging percentage of .515 tops Jorge Posada's .474.
Ryan Howard vs Jorge Posada: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Howard or Jorge Posada?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jorge Posada leads Ryan Howard in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Howard or Jorge Posada hit more home runs?
- Ryan Howard, with 382 to Jorge Posada's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Howard, with .859 to Jorge Posada's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jorge Posada, with .273 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits?
- Jorge Posada, with 1,664 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.