Cal Ripken vs Miguel Tejada: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken 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). Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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
Cal Ripken (1981–2001) and Miguel Tejada (1997–2013) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 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? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Miguel Tejada's 307.
- Who had the higher OPS? Miguel Tejada, with .791 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Tejada, with .285 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Miguel Tejada's 2,407.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Miguel Tejada's 1,302.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cal Ripken, with 19,199 career PIV to Miguel Tejada's 8,602.
- Who won more championships? Cal Ripken, with 1 World Series title to Miguel Tejada's 0.
Cal Ripken
Miguel Tejada
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cal Ripken 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, and the 1980s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cal Ripken | Miguel Tejada |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,001 | 2,171 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,551 | 8,434 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,647 | 1,230 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,184 | 2,407 |
| Doubles | Leads: 603 | 468 |
| Triples | Leads: 44 | 23 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 431 | 307 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,695 | 1,302 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,129 | 553 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,305 | 1,079 |
| Stolen Bases | 36 | Leads: 85 |
| Batting Avg | .276 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .340 | .336 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .456 |
| OPS | .788 | Leads: .791 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cal Ripken outpaces Miguel Tejada 19,199 to 8,602 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 914 PIV per season to 506, across 21 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).
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Miguel Tejada — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cal Ripken leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Miguel Tejada owns stolen bases, batting average, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cal Ripken. PIV agrees: Cal Ripken grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cal Ripken and Miguel Tejada careers compare
From 1997 through 2001, Cal Ripken and Miguel Tejada were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 3,001 games for Cal Ripken and 2,171 for Miguel Tejada across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Miguel Tejada's edges on the table are stolen bases (85 to 36), batting average (.285 to .276), and slugging percentage (.456 to .447). Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129); Miguel Tejada struck out more than walked (1,079 to 553). In on-base percentage, Cal Ripken holds the edge, .340 to .336.
Cal Ripken vs Miguel Tejada: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cal Ripken or Miguel Tejada?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Miguel Tejada in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cal Ripken or Miguel Tejada hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Miguel Tejada's 307.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Miguel Tejada, with .791 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Tejada, with .285 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Miguel Tejada's 2,407.