Orlando Cepeda vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Orlando Cepeda played 1958–1974 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
Orlando Cepeda (1958–1974) and Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Orlando Cepeda finished with 2,351 hits and 379 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 Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Orlando Cepeda's .297.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Orlando Cepeda's 1,365.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Orlando Cepeda's 32,785.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Orlando Cepeda's 2.
Orlando Cepeda
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Orlando Cepeda 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 1950s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orlando Cepeda | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,124 | Leads: 2,164 |
| At-Bats | 7,927 | Leads: 8,001 |
| Runs | 1,131 | Leads: 1,888 |
| Hits | 2,351 | Leads: 2,721 |
| Doubles | 417 | Leads: 534 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 163 |
| Home Runs | 379 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,365 | Leads: 1,995 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,169 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 102 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .340 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .849 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Orlando Cepeda 81,072 to 32,785 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 1,726 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Orlando Cepeda's 19. 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).
Orlando Cepeda — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Orlando Cepeda owns 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 Orlando Cepeda and Lou Gehrig careers compare
No season is shared: Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939, Orlando Cepeda 1958–1974. With 2,124 games against 2,164 across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Orlando Cepeda are stolen bases (142 to 102). Plate discipline differs: Orlando Cepeda struck out more than walked (1,169 to 588), but Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). On the bases, Orlando Cepeda stole more often per game played (142 steals in 2,124 games for Orlando Cepeda, 102 in 2,164 for Lou Gehrig). Lou Gehrig's slugging percentage of .632 tops Orlando Cepeda's .499.
Orlando Cepeda vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orlando Cepeda or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Orlando Cepeda in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Orlando Cepeda or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Orlando Cepeda's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.