Orlando Cepeda vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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 Williams played 1939–1960 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 Williams (1939–1960) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Orlando Cepeda finished with 2,351 hits and 379 home runs; Ted Williams finished with 2,654 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ted Williams, with 521 to Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Orlando Cepeda's .297.
- Who had more hits? Ted Williams, with 2,654 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Williams, with 1,839 to Orlando Cepeda's 1,365.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Orlando Cepeda's 32,785.
- Who won more championships? Orlando Cepeda, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Williams's 0.
Orlando Cepeda
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Orlando Cepeda and Ted Williams. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orlando Cepeda | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,124 | Leads: 2,292 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,927 | 7,706 |
| Runs | 1,131 | Leads: 1,798 |
| Hits | 2,351 | Leads: 2,654 |
| Doubles | 417 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 71 |
| Home Runs | 379 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 1,365 | Leads: 1,839 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,169 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .849 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams outpaces Orlando Cepeda 96,302 to 32,785 — driven by per-season impact — 5,069 PIV per season to 1,726 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Williams played 19 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
Ted Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Williams 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 Ted Williams. PIV agrees: Ted Williams 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 Williams careers compare
Orlando Cepeda and Ted Williams were active at the same time between 1958 and 1960. With 2,124 games against 2,292 across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Orlando Cepeda's edges on the table are at-bats (7,927 to 7,706) and stolen bases (142 to 24). Plate discipline differs: Orlando Cepeda struck out more than walked (1,169 to 588), but Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts). Orlando Cepeda was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Ted Williams's slugging percentage of .634 tops Orlando Cepeda's .499.
Orlando Cepeda vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orlando Cepeda or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Williams leads Orlando Cepeda in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Orlando Cepeda or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Ted Williams, with 521 to Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Orlando Cepeda's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Williams, with 2,654 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.