Wade Boggs vs Don Mattingly: Career Stats Comparison
Wade Boggs 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). Wade Boggs played 1982–1999 as a hitter; Don Mattingly played 1982–1995 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
Wade Boggs (1982–1999) and Don Mattingly (1982–1995) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Wade Boggs finished with 3,010 hits and 118 home runs; Don Mattingly finished with 2,153 hits and 222 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Don Mattingly, with 222 to Wade Boggs's 118.
- Who had the higher OPS? Wade Boggs, with .858 to Don Mattingly's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Wade Boggs, with .328 to Don Mattingly's .307.
- Who had more hits? Wade Boggs, with 3,010 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.
- Who drove in more runs? Don Mattingly, with 1,099 to Wade Boggs's 1,014.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Wade Boggs, with 39,879 career PIV to Don Mattingly's 21,189.
- Who won more championships? Wade Boggs, with 1 World Series title to Don Mattingly's 0.
Wade Boggs
Don Mattingly
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly. 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 | Wade Boggs | Don Mattingly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,440 | 1,785 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,180 | 7,003 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,513 | 1,007 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,010 | 2,153 |
| Doubles | Leads: 578 | 442 |
| Triples | Leads: 61 | 20 |
| Home Runs | 118 | Leads: 222 |
| RBI | 1,014 | Leads: 1,099 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,412 | 588 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 745 | 444 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 24 | 14 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .328 | .307 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .415 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .443 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .858 | .830 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Wade Boggs outpaces Don Mattingly 39,879 to 21,189 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,216 PIV per season to 1,514, across 18 seasons to 14. 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).
Wade Boggs — top 3 seasons by OPS
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Wade Boggs leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Don Mattingly owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Wade Boggs. PIV agrees: Wade Boggs grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly careers compare
Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly were active at the same time between 1982 and 1995. With 2,440 games against 1,785 across 18 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Don Mattingly comes out ahead, it is in home runs (222 to 118), RBI (1,099 to 1,014), and slugging percentage (.471 to .443). Wade Boggs walked more often than struck out (1,412 walks, 745 strikeouts); Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Don Mattingly's hits: 118 of 3,010 for Wade Boggs, 222 of 2,153 for Don Mattingly. Don Mattingly's slugging percentage of .471 tops Wade Boggs's .443.
Wade Boggs vs Don Mattingly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Wade Boggs or Don Mattingly?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Wade Boggs leads Don Mattingly in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Wade Boggs or Don Mattingly hit more home runs?
- Don Mattingly, with 222 to Wade Boggs's 118.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Wade Boggs, with .858 to Don Mattingly's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Wade Boggs, with .328 to Don Mattingly's .307.
- Who had more hits?
- Wade Boggs, with 3,010 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.