Albert Pujols vs Honus Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols 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). Albert Pujols played 2001–2022 as a hitter; Honus Wagner played 1897–1917 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 Honus Wagner (1897–1917) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1890s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Albert Pujols finished with 3,384 hits and 703 home runs; Honus Wagner finished with 3,420 hits and 101 home runs. 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 Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS? Albert Pujols, with .918 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Honus Wagner, with .328 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits? Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Albert Pujols's 3,384.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Honus Wagner's 1,733.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Honus Wagner, with 59,177 career PIV to Albert Pujols's 58,591.
- Who won more championships? Albert Pujols, with 2 World Series titles to Honus Wagner's 1.
Albert Pujols
Honus Wagner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Albert Pujols and Honus Wagner. 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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Albert Pujols | Honus Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,080 | 2,794 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,421 | 10,439 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,914 | 1,739 |
| Hits | 3,384 | Leads: 3,420 |
| Doubles | Leads: 686 | 643 |
| Triples | 16 | Leads: 252 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 703 | 101 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,218 | 1,733 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,373 | 963 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,404 | 735 |
| Stolen Bases | 117 | Leads: 723 |
| Batting Avg | .296 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .391 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .544 | .467 |
| OPS | Leads: .918 | .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Honus Wagner edges Albert Pujols 59,177 to 58,591 — driven by per-season impact — 2,818 PIV per season to 2,547 — rather than by longevity, since Honus Wagner played 21 seasons to Albert Pujols's 23. 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
Honus Wagner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Honus Wagner leads in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Albert Pujols owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Honus Wagner. PIV agrees: Honus Wagner 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 Honus Wagner careers compare
No season is shared: Honus Wagner played 1897–1917, Albert Pujols 2001–2022. With 3,080 games against 2,794 across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373), while Honus Wagner walked more often than struck out (963 walks, 735 strikeouts). Albert Pujols is the more power-leaning hitter, with 703 of 3,384 hits leaving the park. Honus Wagner was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Best seasons: 2008 for Albert Pujols (1.114 OPS, 37 HR, 116 RBI, .357 avg) and 1900 for Honus Wagner (1.007 OPS, 4 HR, 100 RBI, .381 avg).
Albert Pujols vs Honus Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Albert Pujols or Honus Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Honus Wagner in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Albert Pujols or Honus Wagner hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Albert Pujols, with .918 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Honus Wagner, with .328 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Albert Pujols's 3,384.