Nap Lajoie vs Shohei Ohtani: Career Stats Comparison
Nap Lajoie 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). Nap Lajoie played 1896–1916 as a hitter; Shohei Ohtani has played 2018–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
Nap Lajoie (1896–1916) and Shohei Ohtani (2018–present) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nap Lajoie finished with 3,243 hits and 82 home runs; Shohei Ohtani has 1,194 hits and 310 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? Shohei Ohtani, with 310 to Nap Lajoie's 82.
- Who had the higher OPS? Shohei Ohtani, with .948 to Nap Lajoie's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nap Lajoie, with .338 to Shohei Ohtani's .281.
- Who had more hits? Nap Lajoie, with 3,243 to Shohei Ohtani's 1,194.
- Who drove in more runs? Nap Lajoie, with 1,599 to Shohei Ohtani's 750.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nap Lajoie, with 47,526 career PIV to Shohei Ohtani's 24,591.
- Who won more championships? Shohei Ohtani, with 2 World Series titles to Nap Lajoie's 0.
Nap Lajoie
Shohei Ohtani
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nap Lajoie and Shohei Ohtani. 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 1890s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Shohei Ohtani is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Nap Lajoie | Shohei Ohtani |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,480 | 1,172 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,590 | 4,253 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,504 | 797 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,243 | 1,194 |
| Doubles | Leads: 657 | 218 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 49 |
| Home Runs | 82 | Leads: 310 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,599 | 750 |
| Walks | 516 | Leads: 622 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 347 | 1,256 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 380 | 176 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .338 | .281 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .375 |
| Slugging % | .466 | Leads: .574 |
| OPS | .846 | Leads: .948 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nap Lajoie outpaces Shohei Ohtani 47,526 to 24,591 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Nap Lajoie played 22 seasons to Shohei Ohtani's 8, while Shohei Ohtani carries the higher per-season figure (3,074 to 2,160). 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).
Nap Lajoie — top 3 seasons by OPS
Shohei Ohtani — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nap Lajoie leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Shohei Ohtani owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nap Lajoie. PIV agrees: Nap Lajoie grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nap Lajoie and Shohei Ohtani careers compare
No season is shared: Nap Lajoie played 1896–1916, Shohei Ohtani 2018–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Nap Lajoie appeared in 2,480 games to Shohei Ohtani's 1,172. The green cells for Shohei Ohtani are home runs (310 to 82), walks (622 to 516), and slugging percentage (.574 to .466). At the plate, Nap Lajoie walked more often than struck out (516 walks, 347 strikeouts), while Shohei Ohtani struck out more than walked (1,256 to 622). Shohei Ohtani is the more power-leaning hitter, with 310 of 1,194 hits leaving the park. Because Shohei Ohtani is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nap Lajoie vs Shohei Ohtani: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nap Lajoie or Shohei Ohtani?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nap Lajoie leads Shohei Ohtani in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nap Lajoie or Shohei Ohtani hit more home runs?
- Shohei Ohtani, with 310 to Nap Lajoie's 82.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Shohei Ohtani, with .948 to Nap Lajoie's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nap Lajoie, with .338 to Shohei Ohtani's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Nap Lajoie, with 3,243 to Shohei Ohtani's 1,194.