Ryan Howard vs Chase Utley: Career Stats Comparison
Chase Utley 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; Chase Utley played 2003–2018 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 Chase Utley (2003–2018) — 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; Chase Utley finished with 1,885 hits and 259 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 Chase Utley's 259.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Howard, with .859 to Chase Utley's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average? Chase Utley, with .275 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits? Chase Utley, with 1,885 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Howard, with 1,194 to Chase Utley's 1,025.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ryan Howard, with 19,167 career PIV to Chase Utley's 17,446.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Ryan Howard
Chase Utley
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. 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 | Chase Utley |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,572 | Leads: 1,937 |
| At-Bats | 5,707 | Leads: 6,857 |
| Runs | 848 | Leads: 1,103 |
| Hits | 1,475 | Leads: 1,885 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 411 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 58 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 382 | 259 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,194 | 1,025 |
| Walks | 709 | Leads: 724 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,843 | 1,193 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | .258 | Leads: .275 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .465 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .823 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Howard leads Chase Utley 19,167 to 17,446 — driven by per-season impact — 1,474 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Ryan Howard played 13 seasons to Chase Utley'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
Chase Utley — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chase Utley 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 Chase Utley. Note that PIV actually grades Ryan Howard ahead, which means Chase Utley's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ryan Howard and Chase Utley careers compare
Ryan Howard and Chase Utley were active at the same time between 2004 and 2016. The two careers are close in length, 1,572 games for Ryan Howard and 1,937 for Chase Utley across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ryan Howard's edges on the table are home runs (382 to 259), RBI (1,194 to 1,025), and slugging percentage (.515 to .465). Ryan Howard struck out more than walked (1,843 to 709); Chase Utley struck out more than walked (1,193 to 724). Home runs make up a larger share of Ryan Howard's hits: 382 of 1,475 for Ryan Howard, 259 of 1,885 for Chase Utley.
Ryan Howard vs Chase Utley: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Howard or Chase Utley?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chase Utley leads Ryan Howard in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Howard or Chase Utley hit more home runs?
- Ryan Howard, with 382 to Chase Utley's 259.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Howard, with .859 to Chase Utley's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Chase Utley, with .275 to Ryan Howard's .258.
- Who had more hits?
- Chase Utley, with 1,885 to Ryan Howard's 1,475.