Juan Soto vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner 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; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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 Paul Waner (1926–1945) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Juan Soto has 1,196 hits and 271 home runs through October 12, 2026; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Juan Soto, with 271 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Juan Soto, with .945 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Waner, with .333 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Juan Soto's 1,196.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Waner, with 1,309 to Juan Soto's 765.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Waner, with 40,296 career PIV to Juan Soto's 27,584.
- Who won more championships? Juan Soto, with 1 World Series title to Paul Waner's 0.
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Juan Soto and Paul Waner. 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 1920s 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 | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,207 | Leads: 2,549 |
| At-Bats | 4,257 | Leads: 9,459 |
| Runs | 838 | Leads: 1,627 |
| Hits | 1,196 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 210 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 18 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 271 | 113 |
| RBI | 765 | Leads: 1,309 |
| Walks | 974 | Leads: 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 898 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | 104 | 104 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .333 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .415 | .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .530 | .473 |
| OPS | Leads: .945 | .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Waner outpaces Juan Soto 40,296 to 27,584 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Paul Waner played 22 seasons to Juan Soto's 9, while Juan Soto carries the higher per-season figure (3,065 to 1,832). 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
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Waner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Juan Soto owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Waner. PIV agrees: Paul Waner 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 Paul Waner careers compare
No season is shared: Paul Waner played 1926–1945, Juan Soto 2018–present. Paul Waner has the far longer record, 2,549 games against 1,207 across 9 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Juan Soto are home runs (271 to 113), on-base percentage (.415 to .404), and slugging percentage (.530 to .473). Juan Soto walked more often than struck out (974 walks, 898 strikeouts); Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Juan Soto is the more power-leaning hitter, with 271 of 1,196 hits leaving the park. Juan Soto's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Juan Soto vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Juan Soto or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads Juan Soto in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Juan Soto or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Juan Soto, with 271 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Juan Soto, with .945 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Waner, with .333 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Juan Soto's 1,196.