Manny Machado vs Albert Pujols: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Manny Machado has played 2012–present as a hitter; Albert Pujols played 2001–2022 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
Manny Machado (2012–present) and Albert Pujols (2001–2022) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Manny Machado has 2,197 hits and 399 home runs through October 12, 2026; Albert Pujols finished with 3,384 hits and 703 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Albert Pujols, with 703 to Manny Machado's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Albert Pujols, with .918 to Manny Machado's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Albert Pujols, with .296 to Manny Machado's .274.
- Who had more hits? Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Manny Machado's 2,197.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Manny Machado's 1,235.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Albert Pujols, with 58,591 career PIV to Manny Machado's 18,743.
- Who won more championships? Albert Pujols, with 2 World Series titles to Manny Machado's 0.
Manny Machado
Albert Pujols
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Manny Machado and Albert Pujols. 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 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Manny Machado is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Manny Machado | Albert Pujols |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,052 | Leads: 3,080 |
| At-Bats | 8,013 | Leads: 11,421 |
| Runs | 1,164 | Leads: 1,914 |
| Hits | 2,197 | Leads: 3,384 |
| Doubles | 418 | Leads: 686 |
| Triples | Leads: 18 | 16 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 703 |
| RBI | 1,235 | Leads: 2,218 |
| Walks | 739 | Leads: 1,373 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,577 | 1,404 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 118 | 117 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | .335 | Leads: .374 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .544 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .918 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Albert Pujols outpaces Manny Machado 58,591 to 18,743 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,547 PIV per season to 1,250, across 23 seasons to 15. 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).
Manny Machado — top 3 seasons by OPS
Albert Pujols — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Albert Pujols leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Manny Machado owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Albert Pujols. PIV agrees: Albert Pujols grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Manny Machado and Albert Pujols careers compare
From 2012 through 2022, Manny Machado and Albert Pujols were in the majors together. The table compares 2,052 games of Manny Machado with 3,080 of Albert Pujols across 15 and 23 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Manny Machado's edges on the table are triples (18 to 16) and stolen bases (118 to 117). Manny Machado struck out more than walked (1,577 to 739); Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373). On the bases, Manny Machado stole more often per game played (118 steals in 2,052 games for Manny Machado, 117 in 3,080 for Albert Pujols). Albert Pujols's slugging percentage of .544 tops Manny Machado's .480. Because Manny Machado is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Manny Machado vs Albert Pujols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Manny Machado or Albert Pujols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Manny Machado in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Manny Machado or Albert Pujols hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Manny Machado's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Albert Pujols, with .918 to Manny Machado's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Albert Pujols, with .296 to Manny Machado's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Manny Machado's 2,197.