Adrian Beltre vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig 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). Adrian Beltre played 1998–2018 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
Adrian Beltre (1998–2018) and Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Adrian Beltre finished with 3,166 hits and 477 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 Adrian Beltre's 477.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Adrian Beltre's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Adrian Beltre's .286.
- Who had more hits? Adrian Beltre, with 3,166 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Adrian Beltre's 1,707.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Adrian Beltre's 22,100.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Adrian Beltre's 0.
Adrian Beltre
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Adrian Beltre 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 | Adrian Beltre | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,933 | 2,164 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,068 | 8,001 |
| Runs | 1,524 | Leads: 1,888 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,166 | 2,721 |
| Doubles | Leads: 636 | 534 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | 477 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,707 | Leads: 1,995 |
| Walks | 848 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,732 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 121 | 102 |
| Batting Avg | .286 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .819 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Adrian Beltre 81,072 to 22,100 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 1,052 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Adrian Beltre's 21. 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).
Adrian Beltre — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Adrian Beltre owns hits and 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 Adrian Beltre and Lou Gehrig careers compare
No season is shared: Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939, Adrian Beltre 1998–2018. The two careers are close in length, 2,933 games for Adrian Beltre and 2,164 for Lou Gehrig across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Adrian Beltre struck out more than walked (1,732 to 848), but Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). Lou Gehrig was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Lou Gehrig holds the edge, .632 to .480.
Adrian Beltre vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Adrian Beltre or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Adrian Beltre in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Adrian Beltre or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Adrian Beltre's 477.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Adrian Beltre's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Adrian Beltre's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Adrian Beltre, with 3,166 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.