Manny Machado vs Ron Santo: Career Stats Comparison
Ron Santo 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). Manny Machado has played 2012–present as a hitter; Ron Santo played 1960–1974 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 Ron Santo (1960–1974) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Manny Machado has 2,197 hits and 399 home runs through October 6, 2026; Ron Santo finished with 2,254 hits and 342 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Manny Machado, with 399 to Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ron Santo, with .826 to Manny Machado's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ron Santo, with .277 to Manny Machado's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ron Santo, with 2,254 to Manny Machado's 2,197.
- Who drove in more runs? Ron Santo, with 1,331 to Manny Machado's 1,235.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ron Santo, with 33,743 career PIV to Manny Machado's 18,743.
Manny Machado
Ron Santo
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Manny Machado and Ron Santo. 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 1960s 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 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Manny Machado | Ron Santo |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,052 | Leads: 2,243 |
| At-Bats | 8,013 | Leads: 8,143 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,164 | 1,138 |
| Hits | 2,197 | Leads: 2,254 |
| Doubles | Leads: 418 | 365 |
| Triples | 18 | Leads: 67 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 342 |
| RBI | 1,235 | Leads: 1,331 |
| Walks | 739 | Leads: 1,108 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,577 | 1,343 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 118 | 35 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .277 |
| On-Base % | .335 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .464 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .826 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ron Santo outpaces Manny Machado 33,743 to 18,743 — driven by per-season impact — 2,250 PIV per season to 1,250 — rather than by longevity, since Ron Santo played 15 seasons to Manny Machado's 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
Ron Santo — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ron Santo leads in hits, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Manny Machado owns home runs, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Santo. PIV agrees: Ron Santo 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 Ron Santo careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ron Santo's ended in 1974, and Manny Machado debuted in 2012. The two careers are close in length, 2,052 games for Manny Machado and 2,243 for Ron Santo across 15 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Manny Machado struck out more than walked (1,577 to 739), and Ron Santo struck out more than walked (1,343 to 1,108). On the bases, Manny Machado stole more often per game played (118 steals in 2,052 games for Manny Machado, 35 in 2,243 for Ron Santo). Manny Machado's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Manny Machado vs Ron Santo: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Manny Machado or Ron Santo?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ron Santo leads Manny Machado in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Manny Machado or Ron Santo hit more home runs?
- Manny Machado, with 399 to Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ron Santo, with .826 to Manny Machado's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ron Santo, with .277 to Manny Machado's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ron Santo, with 2,254 to Manny Machado's 2,197.