Luke Appling vs Joe Medwick: Career Stats Comparison
Luke Appling and Joe Medwick are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Luke Appling played 1930–1950 as a hitter; Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 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
Luke Appling (1930–1950) and Joe Medwick (1932–1948) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Luke Appling finished with 2,749 hits and 45 home runs; Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe Medwick, with 205 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Medwick, with .867 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Luke Appling's .310.
- Who had more hits? Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Joe Medwick's 2,471.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Luke Appling's 1,116.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Medwick, with 28,897 career PIV to Luke Appling's 25,114.
- Who won more championships? Joe Medwick, with 1 World Series title to Luke Appling's 0.
Luke Appling
Joe Medwick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Luke Appling and Joe Medwick. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Luke Appling | Joe Medwick |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,422 | 1,984 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,856 | 7,635 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,319 | 1,198 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,749 | 2,471 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 102 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | 45 | Leads: 205 |
| RBI | 1,116 | Leads: 1,383 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,302 | 437 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 528 | 551 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 179 | 42 |
| Batting Avg | .310 | Leads: .324 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .399 | .362 |
| Slugging % | .398 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .798 | Leads: .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Medwick leads Luke Appling 28,897 to 25,114 — driven by per-season impact — 1,445 PIV per season to 1,256 — rather than by longevity, since Joe Medwick played 20 seasons to Luke Appling's 20. 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).
Luke Appling — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Medwick leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OPS, while Luke Appling owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Medwick. PIV agrees: Joe Medwick grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Luke Appling and Joe Medwick careers compare
Luke Appling and Joe Medwick were active at the same time between 1932 and 1948. With 2,422 games against 1,984 across 20 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Luke Appling walked more often than struck out (1,302 walks, 528 strikeouts), but Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437). Joe Medwick is the more power-leaning hitter, with 205 of 2,471 hits leaving the park. Luke Appling was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Joe Medwick's slugging percentage of .505 tops Luke Appling's .398.
Luke Appling vs Joe Medwick: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Luke Appling or Joe Medwick hit more home runs?
- Joe Medwick, with 205 to Luke Appling's 45.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Medwick, with .867 to Luke Appling's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Luke Appling's .310.
- Who had more hits?
- Luke Appling, with 2,749 to Joe Medwick's 2,471.