Paul Waner vs Christian Yelich: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Paul Waner played 1926–1945 as a hitter; Christian Yelich has played 2013–present 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
Paul Waner (1926–1945) and Christian Yelich (2013–present) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 home runs; Christian Yelich has 1,845 hits and 245 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Christian Yelich, with 245 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Waner, with .878 to Christian Yelich's .829.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Waner, with .333 to Christian Yelich's .282.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Christian Yelich's 1,845.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Waner, with 1,309 to Christian Yelich's 910.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Waner, with 40,296 career PIV to Christian Yelich's 20,940.
Paul Waner
Christian Yelich
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Waner and Christian Yelich. 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 1920s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Christian Yelich is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Paul Waner | Christian Yelich |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,549 | 1,734 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,459 | 6,550 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,627 | 1,102 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,152 | 1,845 |
| Doubles | Leads: 605 | 350 |
| Triples | Leads: 191 | 37 |
| Home Runs | 113 | Leads: 245 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,309 | 910 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,091 | 883 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 376 | 1,683 |
| Stolen Bases | 104 | Leads: 232 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .333 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .404 | .370 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .473 | .459 |
| OPS | Leads: .878 | .829 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Waner outpaces Christian Yelich 40,296 to 20,940 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,832 PIV per season to 1,611, across 22 seasons to 13. 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).
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Christian Yelich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Waner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Christian Yelich owns home runs and stolen bases. 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 Paul Waner and Christian Yelich careers compare
Paul Waner (1926–1945) was finished before Christian Yelich (2013–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,549 games against 1,734 across 22 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Christian Yelich comes out ahead, it is in home runs (245 to 113) and stolen bases (232 to 104). Plate discipline differs: Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts), but Christian Yelich struck out more than walked (1,683 to 883). Christian Yelich is the more power-leaning hitter, with 245 of 1,845 hits leaving the park. Christian Yelich was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Because Christian Yelich is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Paul Waner vs Christian Yelich: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Waner or Christian Yelich?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads Christian Yelich in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Waner or Christian Yelich hit more home runs?
- Christian Yelich, with 245 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Waner, with .878 to Christian Yelich's .829.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Waner, with .333 to Christian Yelich's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Christian Yelich's 1,845.