Paul Molitor vs Shohei Ohtani: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Molitor 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). Paul Molitor played 1978–1998 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
Paul Molitor (1978–1998) and Shohei Ohtani (2018–present) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits and 234 home runs; Shohei Ohtani has 1,194 hits and 310 home runs through October 6, 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 Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Shohei Ohtani, with .948 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Shohei Ohtani's .281.
- Who had more hits? Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Shohei Ohtani's 1,194.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Molitor, with 1,307 to Shohei Ohtani's 750.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Molitor, with 29,073 career PIV to Shohei Ohtani's 24,591.
- Who won more championships? Shohei Ohtani, with 2 World Series titles to Paul Molitor's 1.
Paul Molitor
Shohei Ohtani
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Molitor 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 1970s 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 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Paul Molitor | Shohei Ohtani |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,683 | 1,172 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,835 | 4,253 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,782 | 797 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,319 | 1,194 |
| Doubles | Leads: 605 | 218 |
| Triples | Leads: 114 | 49 |
| Home Runs | 234 | Leads: 310 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,307 | 750 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,094 | 622 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,244 | 1,256 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 504 | 176 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .281 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | .448 | Leads: .574 |
| OPS | .817 | Leads: .948 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Molitor leads Shohei Ohtani 29,073 to 24,591 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Paul Molitor played 21 seasons to Shohei Ohtani's 8, while Shohei Ohtani carries the higher per-season figure (3,074 to 1,384). 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).
Paul Molitor — top 3 seasons by OPS
Shohei Ohtani — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Molitor leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Shohei Ohtani owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Molitor. PIV agrees: Paul Molitor grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Paul Molitor and Shohei Ohtani careers compare
Paul Molitor (1978–1998) was finished before Shohei Ohtani (2018–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Paul Molitor appeared in 2,683 games to Shohei Ohtani's 1,172. Where Shohei Ohtani comes out ahead, it is in home runs (310 to 234), on-base percentage (.375 to .369), and slugging percentage (.574 to .448). Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094); Shohei Ohtani struck out more than walked (1,256 to 622). Home runs make up a larger share of Shohei Ohtani's hits: 234 of 3,319 for Paul Molitor, 310 of 1,194 for Shohei Ohtani. Because Shohei Ohtani is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Paul Molitor vs Shohei Ohtani: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Molitor or Shohei Ohtani?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Molitor leads Shohei Ohtani in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Molitor or Shohei Ohtani hit more home runs?
- Shohei Ohtani, with 310 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Shohei Ohtani, with .948 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Shohei Ohtani's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Shohei Ohtani's 1,194.