Alex Rodriguez vs Honus Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Alex Rodriguez and Honus Wagner are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Alex Rodriguez played 1994–2016 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
Alex Rodriguez (1994–2016) and Honus Wagner (1897–1917) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1890s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Alex Rodriguez finished with 3,115 hits and 696 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? Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS? Alex Rodriguez, with .930 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Honus Wagner, with .328 to Alex Rodriguez's .295.
- Who had more hits? Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Alex Rodriguez's 3,115.
- Who drove in more runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 2,086 to Honus Wagner's 1,733.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Honus Wagner, with 59,177 career PIV to Alex Rodriguez's 54,389.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Alex Rodriguez
Honus Wagner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Alex Rodriguez 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 1990s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Alex Rodriguez | Honus Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,784 | Leads: 2,794 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,566 | 10,439 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,021 | 1,739 |
| Hits | 3,115 | Leads: 3,420 |
| Doubles | 548 | Leads: 643 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 252 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 696 | 101 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,086 | 1,733 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,338 | 963 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,287 | 735 |
| Stolen Bases | 329 | Leads: 723 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | .380 | Leads: .391 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .550 | .467 |
| OPS | Leads: .930 | .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Honus Wagner leads Alex Rodriguez 59,177 to 54,389 — driven by per-season impact — 2,818 PIV per season to 2,472 — rather than by longevity, since Honus Wagner played 21 seasons to Alex Rodriguez's 22. 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).
Alex Rodriguez — 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 Alex Rodriguez 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 Alex Rodriguez and Honus Wagner careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Honus Wagner's ended in 1917, and Alex Rodriguez debuted in 1994. With 2,784 games against 2,794 across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Alex Rodriguez struck out more than walked (2,287 to 1,338), while Honus Wagner walked more often than struck out (963 walks, 735 strikeouts). Alex Rodriguez is the more power-leaning hitter, with 696 of 3,115 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Honus Wagner stole more often per game played (329 steals in 2,784 games for Alex Rodriguez, 723 in 2,794 for Honus Wagner).
Alex Rodriguez vs Honus Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Alex Rodriguez or Honus Wagner hit more home runs?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Alex Rodriguez, with .930 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Honus Wagner, with .328 to Alex Rodriguez's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Alex Rodriguez's 3,115.