Rod Carew vs Don Mattingly: Career Stats Comparison
Rod Carew has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rod Carew played 1967–1985 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
Rod Carew (1967–1985) and Don Mattingly (1982–1995) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 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 Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Don Mattingly, with .830 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rod Carew, with .328 to Don Mattingly's .307.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.
- Who drove in more runs? Don Mattingly, with 1,099 to Rod Carew's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rod Carew, with 35,141 career PIV to Don Mattingly's 21,189.
Don Mattingly
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rod Carew 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, and the 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rod Carew | Don Mattingly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,469 | 1,785 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,315 | 7,003 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,424 | 1,007 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,053 | 2,153 |
| Doubles | Leads: 445 | 442 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 20 |
| Home Runs | 92 | Leads: 222 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,099 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,018 | 588 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,028 | 444 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 353 | 14 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .328 | .307 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .393 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: .830 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rod Carew outpaces Don Mattingly 35,141 to 21,189 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,850 PIV per season to 1,514, across 19 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).
Rod Carew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rod Carew leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Don Mattingly owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rod Carew. PIV agrees: Rod Carew grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rod Carew and Don Mattingly careers compare
From 1982 through 1985, Rod Carew and Don Mattingly were in the majors together. With 2,469 games against 1,785 across 19 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Don Mattingly are home runs (222 to 92), RBI (1,099 to 1,015), and slugging percentage (.471 to .429). Plate discipline differs: Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018), but Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts). Don Mattingly is the more power-leaning hitter, with 222 of 2,153 hits leaving the park.
Rod Carew vs Don Mattingly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rod Carew or Don Mattingly?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rod Carew leads Don Mattingly in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rod Carew or Don Mattingly hit more home runs?
- Don Mattingly, with 222 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Don Mattingly, with .830 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rod Carew, with .328 to Don Mattingly's .307.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.