Lou Boudreau vs Phil Rizzuto: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Boudreau 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). Lou Boudreau played 1938–1952 as a hitter; Phil Rizzuto played 1941–1956 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
Lou Boudreau (1938–1952) and Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Boudreau finished with 1,779 hits and 68 home runs; Phil Rizzuto finished with 1,588 hits and 38 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Boudreau, with 68 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Boudreau, with .795 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Boudreau, with .295 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits? Lou Boudreau, with 1,779 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Boudreau, with 789 to Phil Rizzuto's 563.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Boudreau, with 17,260 career PIV to Phil Rizzuto's 662.
- Who won more championships? Phil Rizzuto, with 8 World Series titles to Lou Boudreau's 1.
Lou Boudreau
Phil Rizzuto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Boudreau and Phil Rizzuto. 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 1930s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Boudreau | Phil Rizzuto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,646 | Leads: 1,661 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,029 | 5,816 |
| Runs | 861 | Leads: 877 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,779 | 1,588 |
| Doubles | Leads: 385 | 239 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 62 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 68 | 38 |
| RBI | Leads: 789 | 563 |
| Walks | Leads: 796 | 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 309 | 398 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 149 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .351 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .415 | .355 |
| OPS | Leads: .795 | .706 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Boudreau outpaces Phil Rizzuto 17,260 to 662 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,151 PIV per season to 51, across 15 seasons to 13. 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).
Lou Boudreau — top 3 seasons by OPS
Phil Rizzuto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Boudreau leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Phil Rizzuto owns runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Boudreau. PIV agrees: Lou Boudreau grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Boudreau and Phil Rizzuto careers compare
The careers of Lou Boudreau (1938–1952) and Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) overlapped from 1941 to 1952, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,646 games against 1,661 across 15 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Phil Rizzuto comes out ahead, it is in games (1,661 to 1,646), runs (877 to 861), and stolen bases (149 to 51). At the plate, Lou Boudreau walked more often than struck out (796 walks, 309 strikeouts), and Phil Rizzuto walked more often than struck out (651 walks, 398 strikeouts). Lou Boudreau is the more power-leaning hitter, with 68 of 1,779 hits leaving the park.
Lou Boudreau vs Phil Rizzuto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Boudreau or Phil Rizzuto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Boudreau leads Phil Rizzuto in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Boudreau or Phil Rizzuto hit more home runs?
- Lou Boudreau, with 68 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Boudreau, with .795 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Boudreau, with .295 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Boudreau, with 1,779 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.