Rod Carew vs Mule Suttles: Career Stats Comparison
Rod Carew 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). Rod Carew played 1967–1985 as a hitter; Mule Suttles played ?–1944 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 Mule Suttles (?–1944) — their careers are worth a careful side-by-side. Rod Carew finished with 3,053 hits and 92 home runs; Mule Suttles finished with 1,168 hits and 188 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mule Suttles, with 188 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mule Suttles, with 1.025 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mule Suttles, with .339 to Rod Carew's .328.
- Who had more hits? Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Mule Suttles's 1,168.
- Who drove in more runs? Rod Carew, with 1,015 to Mule Suttles's 930.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rod Carew, with 35,141 career PIV to Mule Suttles's 23,097.
Mule Suttles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rod Carew and Mule Suttles. 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 | Rod Carew | Mule Suttles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,469 | 972 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,315 | 3,448 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,424 | 763 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,053 | 1,168 |
| Doubles | Leads: 445 | 229 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 81 |
| Home Runs | 92 | Leads: 188 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,015 | 930 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,018 | 389 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,028 | 24 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 353 | 92 |
| Batting Avg | .328 | Leads: .339 |
| On-Base % | .393 | Leads: .409 |
| Slugging % | .429 | Leads: .616 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: 1.025 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rod Carew outpaces Mule Suttles 35,141 to 23,097 — driven by per-season impact — 1,850 PIV per season to 924 — rather than by longevity, since Rod Carew played 19 seasons to Mule Suttles's 25. 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
Mule Suttles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rod Carew leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mule Suttles owns home runs, batting average, and OBP. 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 Mule Suttles careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Mule Suttles's ended in 1944, and Rod Carew debuted in 1967. Rod Carew has the far longer record, 2,469 games against 972 across 19 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Plate discipline differs: Rod Carew struck out more than walked (1,028 to 1,018), but Mule Suttles walked more often than struck out (389 walks, 24 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mule Suttles's hits: 92 of 3,053 for Rod Carew, 188 of 1,168 for Mule Suttles. Rod Carew was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Mule Suttles holds the edge, .616 to .429.
Rod Carew vs Mule Suttles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rod Carew or Mule Suttles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rod Carew leads Mule Suttles in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rod Carew or Mule Suttles hit more home runs?
- Mule Suttles, with 188 to Rod Carew's 92.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mule Suttles, with 1.025 to Rod Carew's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mule Suttles, with .339 to Rod Carew's .328.
- Who had more hits?
- Rod Carew, with 3,053 to Mule Suttles's 1,168.