Juan Soto vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Stargell 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). Juan Soto has played 2018–present as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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
Juan Soto (2018–present) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Juan Soto has 1,196 hits and 271 home runs through October 12, 2026; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Juan Soto's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS? Juan Soto, with .945 to Willie Stargell's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits? Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Juan Soto's 1,196.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Juan Soto's 765.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Juan Soto's 27,584.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Juan Soto's 1.
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Juan Soto and Willie Stargell. 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 2010s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Juan Soto is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Juan Soto | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,207 | Leads: 2,360 |
| At-Bats | 4,257 | Leads: 7,927 |
| Runs | 838 | Leads: 1,194 |
| Hits | 1,196 | Leads: 2,232 |
| Doubles | 210 | Leads: 423 |
| Triples | 18 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 271 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 765 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 974 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 898 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 104 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .415 | .360 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .530 | .529 |
| OPS | Leads: .945 | .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Juan Soto 42,804 to 27,584 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Stargell played 21 seasons to Juan Soto's 9, while Juan Soto carries the higher per-season figure (3,065 to 2,038). 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).
Juan Soto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Juan Soto owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Juan Soto and Willie Stargell careers compare
No season is shared: Willie Stargell played 1962–1982, Juan Soto 2018–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Juan Soto has appeared in 1,207 games to Willie Stargell's 2,360. Plate discipline differs: Juan Soto walked more often than struck out (974 walks, 898 strikeouts), but Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Juan Soto was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. On the peak-season lists, Juan Soto's best year is 2021 at .999 OPS and Willie Stargell's is 1973 at 1.038 OPS; Willie Stargell has the stronger single season. Because Juan Soto is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Juan Soto vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Juan Soto or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Stargell leads Juan Soto in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Juan Soto or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Juan Soto's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Juan Soto, with .945 to Willie Stargell's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Juan Soto's 1,196.