Phil Cavarretta vs Matt Olson: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Cavarretta 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). Phil Cavarretta played 1934–1955 as a hitter; Matt Olson has played 2016–present 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
Phil Cavarretta (1934–1955) and Matt Olson (2016–present) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Phil Cavarretta finished with 1,977 hits and 95 home runs; Matt Olson has 1,312 hits and 329 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Olson, with 329 to Phil Cavarretta's 95.
- Who had the higher OPS? Matt Olson, with .855 to Phil Cavarretta's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Phil Cavarretta, with .293 to Matt Olson's .256.
- Who had more hits? Phil Cavarretta, with 1,977 to Matt Olson's 1,312.
- Who drove in more runs? Phil Cavarretta, with 920 to Matt Olson's 901.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Matt Olson, with 17,319 career PIV to Phil Cavarretta's 15,811.
Phil Cavarretta
Matt Olson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Phil Cavarretta and Matt Olson. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Matt Olson is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Phil Cavarretta | Matt Olson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,030 | 1,385 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,754 | 5,121 |
| Runs | Leads: 990 | 811 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,977 | 1,312 |
| Doubles | Leads: 347 | 284 |
| Triples | Leads: 99 | 7 |
| Home Runs | 95 | Leads: 329 |
| RBI | Leads: 920 | 901 |
| Walks | Leads: 820 | 677 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 598 | 1,409 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 65 | 13 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .293 | .256 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .372 | .347 |
| Slugging % | .416 | Leads: .507 |
| OPS | .788 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Matt Olson leads Phil Cavarretta 17,319 to 15,811 — driven by per-season impact — 1,732 PIV per season to 719 — rather than by longevity, since Matt Olson played 10 seasons to Phil Cavarretta's 22. 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).
Phil Cavarretta — top 3 seasons by OPS
Matt Olson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Phil Cavarretta leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Matt Olson owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Phil Cavarretta. Note that PIV actually grades Matt Olson ahead, which means Phil Cavarretta's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Phil Cavarretta and Matt Olson careers compare
Phil Cavarretta (1934–1955) was finished before Matt Olson (2016–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 2,030 games for Phil Cavarretta and 1,385 for Matt Olson across 22 and 10 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Matt Olson comes out ahead, it is in home runs (329 to 95), slugging percentage (.507 to .416), and OPS (.855 to .788). Plate discipline differs: Phil Cavarretta walked more often than struck out (820 walks, 598 strikeouts), but Matt Olson struck out more than walked (1,409 to 677). Because Matt Olson is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Phil Cavarretta vs Matt Olson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Phil Cavarretta or Matt Olson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Phil Cavarretta leads Matt Olson in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Phil Cavarretta or Matt Olson hit more home runs?
- Matt Olson, with 329 to Phil Cavarretta's 95.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Matt Olson, with .855 to Phil Cavarretta's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Phil Cavarretta, with .293 to Matt Olson's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Phil Cavarretta, with 1,977 to Matt Olson's 1,312.