Yogi Berra vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews 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). Yogi Berra played 1946–1965 as a hitter; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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
Yogi Berra (1946–1965) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Yogi Berra finished with 2,150 hits and 358 home runs; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Yogi Berra's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Yogi Berra's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Yogi Berra, with .285 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Yogi Berra's 2,150.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Yogi Berra's 1,430.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Yogi Berra's 21,371.
- Who won more championships? Yogi Berra, with 10 World Series titles to Eddie Mathews's 2.
Yogi Berra
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Yogi Berra and Eddie Mathews. 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 1940s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Yogi Berra | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,120 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 7,555 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 1,175 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | 2,150 | Leads: 2,315 |
| Doubles | 321 | Leads: 354 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 358 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 1,430 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 704 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 414 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .482 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Yogi Berra 45,555 to 21,371 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 1,125 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Yogi Berra's 19. 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).
Yogi Berra — top 3 seasons by OPS
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Yogi Berra owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Mathews. PIV agrees: Eddie Mathews grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Yogi Berra and Eddie Mathews careers compare
Yogi Berra and Eddie Mathews were active at the same time between 1952 and 1965. With 2,120 games against 2,391 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Yogi Berra comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.285 to .271). Plate discipline differs: Yogi Berra walked more often than struck out (704 walks, 414 strikeouts), but Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Home runs make up a larger share of Eddie Mathews's hits: 358 of 2,150 for Yogi Berra, 512 of 2,315 for Eddie Mathews. Eddie Mathews's on-base percentage of .376 tops Yogi Berra's .348.
Yogi Berra vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Yogi Berra or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Yogi Berra in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Yogi Berra or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Yogi Berra's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Yogi Berra's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Yogi Berra, with .285 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Yogi Berra's 2,150.