Albert Pujols vs Jim Thome: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Albert Pujols played 2001–2022 as a hitter; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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 Jim Thome (1991–2012) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 1990s respectively and share 12 seasons. Albert Pujols finished with 3,384 hits and 703 home runs; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Albert Pujols, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Albert Pujols, with 703 to Jim Thome's 612.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Albert Pujols's .918.
- Who had the higher batting average? Albert Pujols, with .296 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Jim Thome's 2,328.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Jim Thome's 1,699.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Albert Pujols, with 58,591 career PIV to Jim Thome's 51,664.
Albert Pujols
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Albert Pujols and Jim Thome. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Albert Pujols | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,080 | 2,543 |
| At-Bats not scored | 11,421 | 8,422 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,914 | 1,583 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,384 | 2,328 |
| Doubles | Leads: 686 | 451 |
| Triples | 16 | Leads: 26 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 703 | 612 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,218 | 1,699 |
| Walks | 1,373 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,404 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 117 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .402 |
| Slugging % | .544 | Leads: .554 |
| OPS | .918 | Leads: .956 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Albert Pujols leads Jim Thome 58,591 to 51,664 — driven by per-season impact — 2,663 PIV per season to 2,348 — rather than by longevity, since Albert Pujols played 22 seasons to Jim Thome's 22. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Albert Pujols leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Jim Thome leads 5: triples, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. 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 Jim Thome careers compare
The careers of Albert Pujols (2001–2022) and Jim Thome (1991–2012) overlapped from 2001 to 2012, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 3,080 games for Albert Pujols and 2,543 for Jim Thome across 22 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373); Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). On the bases, Albert Pujols stole more often per game played (117 steals in 3,080 games for Albert Pujols, 19 in 2,543 for Jim Thome). Jim Thome's slugging percentage of .554 tops Albert Pujols's .544.
Albert Pujols vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Albert Pujols or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Jim Thome in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Albert Pujols or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Jim Thome's 612.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Albert Pujols's .918.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Albert Pujols, with .296 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Jim Thome's 2,328.