Jeff Bagwell vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jeff Bagwell played 1991–2005 as a hitter; Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 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
Jeff Bagwell (1991–2005) and Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jeff Bagwell finished with 2,314 hits and 449 home runs; Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Jeff Bagwell's .948.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Jeff Bagwell's .297.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Jeff Bagwell's 1,529.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Jeff Bagwell's 47,120.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Jeff Bagwell's 0.
Jeff Bagwell
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Bagwell and Lou Gehrig. 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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Bagwell | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,150 | Leads: 2,164 |
| At-Bats | 7,797 | Leads: 8,001 |
| Runs | 1,517 | Leads: 1,888 |
| Hits | 2,314 | Leads: 2,721 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 534 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | 449 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,529 | Leads: 1,995 |
| Walks | 1,401 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,558 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 202 | 102 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .408 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .540 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .948 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Jeff Bagwell 81,072 to 47,120 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,769 PIV per season to 3,141, across 17 seasons to 15. 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).
Jeff Bagwell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jeff Bagwell owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Gehrig. PIV agrees: Lou Gehrig grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jeff Bagwell and Lou Gehrig careers compare
No season is shared: Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939, Jeff Bagwell 1991–2005. The two careers are close in length, 2,150 games for Jeff Bagwell and 2,164 for Lou Gehrig across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Jeff Bagwell are stolen bases (202 to 102). Plate discipline differs: Jeff Bagwell struck out more than walked (1,558 to 1,401), but Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). On the bases, Jeff Bagwell stole more often per game played (202 steals in 2,150 games for Jeff Bagwell, 102 in 2,164 for Lou Gehrig).
Jeff Bagwell vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Bagwell or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Jeff Bagwell in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Bagwell or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Jeff Bagwell's .948.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Jeff Bagwell's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.