Ryan Howard vs Jimmy Rollins: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmy Rollins 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; Jimmy Rollins played 2000–2016 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 Jimmy Rollins (2000–2016) — 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; Jimmy Rollins finished with 2,455 hits and 231 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 Jimmy Rollins's 231.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Howard, with .859 to Jimmy Rollins's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmy Rollins, with .264 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits? Jimmy Rollins, with 2,455 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Howard, with 1,194 to Jimmy Rollins's 936.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ryan Howard, with 19,167 career PIV to Jimmy Rollins's 406.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Ryan Howard
Jimmy Rollins
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins. 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 | Jimmy Rollins |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,572 | Leads: 2,275 |
| At-Bats | 5,707 | Leads: 9,294 |
| Runs | 848 | Leads: 1,421 |
| Hits | 1,475 | Leads: 2,455 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 511 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 115 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 231 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,194 | 936 |
| Walks | 709 | Leads: 813 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,843 | 1,264 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 470 |
| Batting Avg | .258 | Leads: .264 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .343 | .324 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .418 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .743 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Howard outpaces Jimmy Rollins 19,167 to 406 — driven by per-season impact — 1,474 PIV per season to 24 — rather than by longevity, since Ryan Howard played 13 seasons to Jimmy Rollins'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
Jimmy Rollins — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ryan Howard leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Jimmy Rollins owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Jimmy Rollins careers compare
The careers of Ryan Howard (2004–2016) and Jimmy Rollins (2000–2016) overlapped from 2004 to 2016, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,572 games against 2,275 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Ryan Howard struck out more than walked (1,843 to 709), and Jimmy Rollins struck out more than walked (1,264 to 813). Ryan Howard is the more power-leaning hitter, with 382 of 1,475 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Jimmy Rollins stole more often per game played (12 steals in 1,572 games for Ryan Howard, 470 in 2,275 for Jimmy Rollins).
Ryan Howard vs Jimmy Rollins: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Howard or Jimmy Rollins?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmy Rollins leads Ryan Howard in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Howard or Jimmy Rollins hit more home runs?
- Ryan Howard, with 382 to Jimmy Rollins's 231.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Howard, with .859 to Jimmy Rollins's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmy Rollins, with .264 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits?
- Jimmy Rollins, with 2,455 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.