Mookie Betts vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Mookie Betts has played 2014–present as a hitter; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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
Mookie Betts (2014–present) and Paul Waner (1926–1945) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mookie Betts has 1,890 hits and 314 home runs through October 12, 2026; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mookie Betts, with 314 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Waner, with .878 to Mookie Betts's .874.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Waner, with .333 to Mookie Betts's .288.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Mookie Betts's 1,890.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Waner, with 1,309 to Mookie Betts's 982.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Waner, with 40,296 career PIV to Mookie Betts's 25,700.
- Who won more championships? Mookie Betts, with 4 World Series titles to Paul Waner's 0.
Mookie Betts
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mookie Betts and Paul Waner. 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 2010s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Mookie Betts is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Mookie Betts | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,654 | Leads: 2,549 |
| At-Bats | 6,561 | Leads: 9,459 |
| Runs | 1,237 | Leads: 1,627 |
| Hits | 1,890 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 419 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 41 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 314 | 113 |
| RBI | 982 | Leads: 1,309 |
| Walks | 783 | Leads: 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 982 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 198 | 104 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .333 |
| On-Base % | .366 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .508 | .473 |
| OPS | .874 | Leads: .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Waner outpaces Mookie Betts 40,296 to 25,700 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Paul Waner played 22 seasons to Mookie Betts's 12, while Mookie Betts carries the higher per-season figure (2,142 to 1,832). 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).
Mookie Betts — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Waner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Mookie Betts 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 Mookie Betts and Paul Waner careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Paul Waner's ended in 1945, and Mookie Betts debuted in 2014. Paul Waner has the far longer record, 2,549 games against 1,654 across 12 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Mookie Betts's edges on the table are home runs (314 to 113), stolen bases (198 to 104), and slugging percentage (.508 to .473). Plate discipline differs: Mookie Betts struck out more than walked (982 to 783), but Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Mookie Betts is the more power-leaning hitter, with 314 of 1,890 hits leaving the park. Mookie Betts was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mookie Betts's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Mookie Betts vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mookie Betts or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads Mookie Betts in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mookie Betts or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Mookie Betts, with 314 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Waner, with .878 to Mookie Betts's .874.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Waner, with .333 to Mookie Betts's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Mookie Betts's 1,890.