Cal Ripken vs Troy Tulowitzki: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken 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). Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 as a hitter; Troy Tulowitzki played 2006–2019 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 Troy Tulowitzki (2006–2019) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs; Troy Tulowitzki finished with 1,391 hits and 225 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 Troy Tulowitzki's 225.
- Who had the higher OPS? Troy Tulowitzki, with .856 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Troy Tulowitzki, with .290 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Troy Tulowitzki's 1,391.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Troy Tulowitzki's 780.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cal Ripken, with 19,199 career PIV to Troy Tulowitzki's 16,087.
- Who won more championships? Cal Ripken, with 1 World Series title to Troy Tulowitzki's 0.
Cal Ripken
Troy Tulowitzki
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cal Ripken and Troy Tulowitzki. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cal Ripken | Troy Tulowitzki |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,001 | 1,291 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,551 | 4,804 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,647 | 762 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,184 | 1,391 |
| Doubles | Leads: 603 | 264 |
| Triples | Leads: 44 | 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 431 | 225 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,695 | 780 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,129 | 511 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,305 | 900 |
| Stolen Bases | 36 | Leads: 57 |
| Batting Avg | .276 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .340 | Leads: .361 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .495 |
| OPS | .788 | Leads: .856 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cal Ripken leads Troy Tulowitzki 19,199 to 16,087 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cal Ripken played 21 seasons to Troy Tulowitzki's 14, while Troy Tulowitzki carries the higher per-season figure (1,149 to 914). 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
Troy Tulowitzki — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cal Ripken leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Troy Tulowitzki owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. 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 Troy Tulowitzki careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Cal Ripken's ended in 2001, and Troy Tulowitzki debuted in 2006. The table compares 3,001 games of Cal Ripken with 1,291 of Troy Tulowitzki across 21 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129); Troy Tulowitzki struck out more than walked (900 to 511). In on-base percentage, Troy Tulowitzki holds the edge, .361 to .340. Best seasons: 1999 for Cal Ripken (.952 OPS, 18 HR, 57 RBI, .340 avg) and 2014 for Troy Tulowitzki (1.035 OPS, 21 HR, 52 RBI, .340 avg).
Cal Ripken vs Troy Tulowitzki: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cal Ripken or Troy Tulowitzki?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Troy Tulowitzki in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cal Ripken or Troy Tulowitzki hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Troy Tulowitzki's 225.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Troy Tulowitzki, with .856 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Troy Tulowitzki, with .290 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Troy Tulowitzki's 1,391.