David Ortiz vs Miguel Tejada: Career Stats Comparison
David Ortiz 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). David Ortiz played 1997–2016 as a hitter; Miguel Tejada played 1997–2013 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
David Ortiz (1997–2016) and Miguel Tejada (1997–2013) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. David Ortiz finished with 2,472 hits and 541 home runs; Miguel Tejada finished with 2,407 hits and 307 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? David Ortiz, with 541 to Miguel Tejada's 307.
- Who had the higher OPS? David Ortiz, with .931 to Miguel Tejada's .791.
- Who had the higher batting average? David Ortiz, with .286 to Miguel Tejada's .285.
- Who had more hits? David Ortiz, with 2,472 to Miguel Tejada's 2,407.
- Who drove in more runs? David Ortiz, with 1,768 to Miguel Tejada's 1,302.
- Who has the higher career PIV? David Ortiz, with 46,358 career PIV to Miguel Tejada's 8,602.
- Who won more championships? David Ortiz, with 3 World Series titles to Miguel Tejada's 0.
David Ortiz
Miguel Tejada
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for David Ortiz and Miguel Tejada. 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 | David Ortiz | Miguel Tejada |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,408 | 2,171 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,640 | 8,434 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,419 | 1,230 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,472 | 2,407 |
| Doubles | Leads: 632 | 468 |
| Triples | 19 | Leads: 23 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 541 | 307 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,768 | 1,302 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,319 | 553 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,750 | 1,079 |
| Stolen Bases | 17 | Leads: 85 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .286 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .336 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .552 | .456 |
| OPS | Leads: .931 | .791 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Ortiz outpaces Miguel Tejada 46,358 to 8,602 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,318 PIV per season to 506, across 20 seasons to 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).
David Ortiz — top 3 seasons by OPS
Miguel Tejada — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Ortiz leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Miguel Tejada owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Ortiz. PIV agrees: David Ortiz grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the David Ortiz and Miguel Tejada careers compare
David Ortiz and Miguel Tejada were active at the same time between 1997 and 2013. With 2,408 games against 2,171 across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Miguel Tejada's edges on the table are triples (23 to 19) and stolen bases (85 to 17). At the plate, David Ortiz struck out more than walked (1,750 to 1,319), and Miguel Tejada struck out more than walked (1,079 to 553). David Ortiz is the more power-leaning hitter, with 541 of 2,472 hits leaving the park. David Ortiz owns the better peak by OPS: 1.066 OPS in 2007 for David Ortiz against .894 OPS in 2004 for Miguel Tejada.
David Ortiz vs Miguel Tejada: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Ortiz or Miguel Tejada?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Ortiz leads Miguel Tejada in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did David Ortiz or Miguel Tejada hit more home runs?
- David Ortiz, with 541 to Miguel Tejada's 307.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- David Ortiz, with .931 to Miguel Tejada's .791.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- David Ortiz, with .286 to Miguel Tejada's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- David Ortiz, with 2,472 to Miguel Tejada's 2,407.