Albert Pujols vs Juan Soto: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Albert Pujols played 2001–2022 as a hitter; Juan Soto 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
Albert Pujols (2001–2022) and Juan Soto (2018–present) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Albert Pujols finished with 3,384 hits and 703 home runs; Juan Soto has 1,196 hits and 271 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? Albert Pujols, with 703 to Juan Soto's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS? Juan Soto, with .945 to Albert Pujols's .918.
- Who had the higher batting average? Albert Pujols, with .296 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits? Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Juan Soto's 1,196.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Juan Soto's 765.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Albert Pujols, with 58,591 career PIV to Juan Soto's 27,584.
- Who won more championships? Albert Pujols, with 2 World Series titles to Juan Soto's 1.
Albert Pujols
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Albert Pujols and Juan Soto. 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 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Juan Soto is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Albert Pujols | Juan Soto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,080 | 1,207 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,421 | 4,257 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,914 | 838 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,384 | 1,196 |
| Doubles | Leads: 686 | 210 |
| Triples | 16 | Leads: 18 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 703 | 271 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,218 | 765 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,373 | 974 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,404 | 898 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 117 | 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .281 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .415 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .544 | .530 |
| OPS | .918 | Leads: .945 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Albert Pujols outpaces Juan Soto 58,591 to 27,584 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Albert Pujols played 23 seasons to Juan Soto's 9, while Juan Soto carries the higher per-season figure (3,065 to 2,547). 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).
Albert Pujols — top 3 seasons by OPS
Juan Soto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Albert Pujols leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Juan Soto owns OBP and OPS. 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 Albert Pujols and Juan Soto careers compare
Albert Pujols and Juan Soto were active at the same time between 2018 and 2022. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Albert Pujols appeared in 3,080 games to Juan Soto's 1,207. The green cells for Juan Soto are triples (18 to 16), on-base percentage (.415 to .374), and OPS (.945 to .918). Plate discipline differs: Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373), but Juan Soto walked more often than struck out (974 walks, 898 strikeouts). On the bases, Juan Soto stole more often per game played (117 steals in 3,080 games for Albert Pujols, 104 in 1,207 for Juan Soto). Juan Soto's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Albert Pujols vs Juan Soto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Albert Pujols or Juan Soto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Juan Soto in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Albert Pujols or Juan Soto hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Juan Soto's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Juan Soto, with .945 to Albert Pujols's .918.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Albert Pujols, with .296 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Juan Soto's 1,196.