George Brett vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). George Brett played 1973–1993 as a hitter; Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 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
George Brett (1973–1993) and Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 home runs; Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Gehrig, with 493 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to George Brett's .305.
- Who had more hits? George Brett, with 3,154 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to George Brett's 1,596.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to George Brett's 41,511.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to George Brett's 1.
George Brett
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett and Lou Gehrig. 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 1970s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Brett | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,707 | 2,164 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,349 | 8,001 |
| Runs | 1,583 | Leads: 1,888 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,154 | 2,721 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 534 |
| Triples | 137 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | 317 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,596 | Leads: 1,995 |
| Walks | 1,096 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 201 | 102 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .487 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .857 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces George Brett 81,072 to 41,511 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 1,977 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to George Brett's 21. 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).
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while George Brett owns hits and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Gehrig. PIV agrees: Lou Gehrig grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Brett and Lou Gehrig careers compare
Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) was finished before George Brett (1973–1993) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,707 games against 2,164 across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts), and Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). Lou Gehrig is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,721 hits leaving the park. George Brett was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Lou Gehrig's slugging percentage of .632 tops George Brett's .487.
George Brett vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Brett or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads George Brett in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Brett or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to George Brett's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- George Brett, with 3,154 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.