Orlando Cepeda vs Ted Kluszewski: Career Stats Comparison
Orlando Cepeda 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). Orlando Cepeda played 1958–1974 as a hitter; Ted Kluszewski played 1947–1961 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 Ted Kluszewski (1947–1961) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Orlando Cepeda finished with 2,351 hits and 379 home runs; Ted Kluszewski finished with 1,766 hits and 279 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Orlando Cepeda, with 379 to Ted Kluszewski's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Kluszewski, with .850 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Kluszewski, with .298 to Orlando Cepeda's .297.
- Who had more hits? Orlando Cepeda, with 2,351 to Ted Kluszewski's 1,766.
- Who drove in more runs? Orlando Cepeda, with 1,365 to Ted Kluszewski's 1,028.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Orlando Cepeda, with 32,785 career PIV to Ted Kluszewski's 19,859.
- Who won more championships? Orlando Cepeda, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Kluszewski's 0.
Orlando Cepeda
Ted Kluszewski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Orlando Cepeda and Ted Kluszewski. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orlando Cepeda | Ted Kluszewski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,124 | 1,718 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,927 | 5,929 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,131 | 848 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,351 | 1,766 |
| Doubles | Leads: 417 | 290 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 29 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 379 | 279 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,365 | 1,028 |
| Walks | Leads: 588 | 492 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,169 | 365 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 20 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .353 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .498 |
| OPS | .849 | Leads: .850 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orlando Cepeda outpaces Ted Kluszewski 32,785 to 19,859 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,726 PIV per season to 1,241, across 19 seasons to 16. 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
Ted Kluszewski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Orlando Cepeda leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ted Kluszewski owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Orlando Cepeda. PIV agrees: Orlando Cepeda 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 Ted Kluszewski careers compare
From 1958 through 1961, Orlando Cepeda and Ted Kluszewski were in the majors together. With 2,124 games against 1,718 across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Ted Kluszewski comes out ahead, it is in triples (29 to 27), batting average (.298 to .297), and on-base percentage (.353 to .350). At the plate, Orlando Cepeda struck out more than walked (1,169 to 588), while Ted Kluszewski walked more often than struck out (492 walks, 365 strikeouts). On the bases, Orlando Cepeda stole more often per game played (142 steals in 2,124 games for Orlando Cepeda, 20 in 1,718 for Ted Kluszewski).
Orlando Cepeda vs Ted Kluszewski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orlando Cepeda or Ted Kluszewski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orlando Cepeda leads Ted Kluszewski in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Orlando Cepeda or Ted Kluszewski hit more home runs?
- Orlando Cepeda, with 379 to Ted Kluszewski's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Kluszewski, with .850 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Kluszewski, with .298 to Orlando Cepeda's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Orlando Cepeda, with 2,351 to Ted Kluszewski's 1,766.