Roberto Clemente vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente and Eddie Mathews are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 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
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 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 Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Roberto Clemente
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente 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 | Roberto Clemente | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,433 | 2,391 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 8,537 |
| Runs | 1,416 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,315 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 354 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Roberto Clemente 45,555 to 34,131 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 1,896 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Roberto Clemente's 18. 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).
Roberto Clemente — 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 Roberto Clemente 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 Roberto Clemente and Eddie Mathews careers compare
Roberto Clemente and Eddie Mathews were active at the same time between 1955 and 1968. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 2,391 for Eddie Mathews across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), and Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park. Eddie Mathews's slugging percentage of .509 tops Roberto Clemente's .475.
Roberto Clemente vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Roberto Clemente or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.