Ryan Howard vs Anthony Rizzo: Career Stats Comparison
Anthony Rizzo has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Anthony Rizzo played 2011–2024 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 Anthony Rizzo (2011–2024) — 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; Anthony Rizzo finished with 1,644 hits and 303 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 Anthony Rizzo's 303.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Howard, with .859 to Anthony Rizzo's .828.
- Who had the higher batting average? Anthony Rizzo, with .261 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits? Anthony Rizzo, with 1,644 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Howard, with 1,194 to Anthony Rizzo's 965.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Anthony Rizzo, with 20,339 career PIV to Ryan Howard's 19,167.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Ryan Howard
Anthony Rizzo
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Howard and Anthony Rizzo. 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.
| Statistic | Ryan Howard | Anthony Rizzo |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,572 | Leads: 1,727 |
| At-Bats | 5,707 | Leads: 6,288 |
| Runs | 848 | Leads: 922 |
| Hits | 1,475 | Leads: 1,644 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 338 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 22 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 303 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,194 | 965 |
| Walks | 709 | Leads: 781 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,843 | 1,208 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 72 |
| Batting Avg | .258 | Leads: .261 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .361 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .467 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .828 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Anthony Rizzo edges Ryan Howard 20,339 to 19,167 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Anthony Rizzo played 15 seasons to Ryan Howard's 13, while Ryan Howard carries the higher per-season figure (1,474 to 1,356). 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
Anthony Rizzo — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Anthony Rizzo 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 Anthony Rizzo. PIV agrees: Anthony Rizzo 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 Anthony Rizzo careers compare
From 2011 through 2016, Ryan Howard and Anthony Rizzo were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,572 games for Ryan Howard and 1,727 for Anthony Rizzo across 13 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ryan Howard's edges on the table are home runs (382 to 303), RBI (1,194 to 965), and slugging percentage (.515 to .467). At the plate, Ryan Howard struck out more than walked (1,843 to 709), and Anthony Rizzo struck out more than walked (1,208 to 781). Ryan Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 382 of 1,475 hits leaving the park.
Ryan Howard vs Anthony Rizzo: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Howard or Anthony Rizzo?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Anthony Rizzo leads Ryan Howard in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Howard or Anthony Rizzo hit more home runs?
- Ryan Howard, with 382 to Anthony Rizzo's 303.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Howard, with .859 to Anthony Rizzo's .828.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Anthony Rizzo, with .261 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits?
- Anthony Rizzo, with 1,644 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.