Orlando Cepeda vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews 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; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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 Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Orlando Cepeda finished with 2,351 hits and 379 home runs; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average? Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Orlando Cepeda, with 2,351 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Orlando Cepeda's 1,365.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Orlando Cepeda's 32,785.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Orlando Cepeda
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Orlando Cepeda and Eddie Mathews. 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 | Orlando Cepeda | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,124 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 7,927 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 1,131 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,351 | 2,315 |
| Doubles | Leads: 417 | 354 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 379 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 1,365 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,169 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .849 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Orlando Cepeda 45,555 to 32,785 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 1,726 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 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
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Orlando Cepeda owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Mathews. PIV agrees: Eddie Mathews 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 Eddie Mathews careers compare
Orlando Cepeda and Eddie Mathews were active at the same time between 1958 and 1968. With 2,124 games against 2,391 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Orlando Cepeda comes out ahead, it is in hits (2,351 to 2,315), doubles (417 to 354), and stolen bases (142 to 68). Orlando Cepeda struck out more than walked (1,169 to 588); Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Home runs make up a larger share of Eddie Mathews's hits: 379 of 2,351 for Orlando Cepeda, 512 of 2,315 for Eddie Mathews. Orlando Cepeda was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Orlando Cepeda vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orlando Cepeda or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Orlando Cepeda in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Orlando Cepeda or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Orlando Cepeda, with 2,351 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.