Lou Boudreau vs Jackie Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Boudreau and Jackie Robinson are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Boudreau played 1938–1952 as a hitter; Jackie Robinson played 1947–1956 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 Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) — 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; Jackie Robinson finished with 1,568 hits and 141 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jackie Robinson, with 141 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Lou Boudreau's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits? Lou Boudreau, with 1,779 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Boudreau, with 789 to Jackie Robinson's 764.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jackie Robinson, with 25,382 career PIV to Lou Boudreau's 17,260.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Lou Boudreau
Jackie Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Boudreau and Jackie Robinson. 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 | Jackie Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,646 | 1,418 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,029 | 5,006 |
| Runs | 861 | Leads: 974 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,779 | 1,568 |
| Doubles | Leads: 385 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 68 | Leads: 141 |
| RBI | Leads: 789 | 764 |
| Walks | Leads: 796 | 756 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 309 | 291 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 203 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .380 | Leads: .410 |
| Slugging % | .415 | Leads: .477 |
| OPS | .795 | Leads: .887 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jackie Robinson outpaces Lou Boudreau 25,382 to 17,260 — driven by per-season impact — 2,307 PIV per season to 1,151 — rather than by longevity, since Jackie Robinson played 11 seasons to Lou Boudreau's 15. 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
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jackie Robinson leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Lou Boudreau owns hits and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jackie Robinson. PIV agrees: Jackie Robinson 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 Jackie Robinson careers compare
Lou Boudreau and Jackie Robinson were active at the same time between 1947 and 1952. With 1,646 games against 1,418 across 15 and 11 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lou Boudreau walked more often than struck out (796 walks, 309 strikeouts); Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts). Jackie Robinson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 141 of 1,568 hits leaving the park. Jackie Robinson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Jackie Robinson holds the edge, .410 to .380.
Lou Boudreau vs Jackie Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Lou Boudreau or Jackie Robinson hit more home runs?
- Jackie Robinson, with 141 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Lou Boudreau's .795.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Lou Boudreau's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Boudreau, with 1,779 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.