Ty Cobb vs Lou Gehrig: Career Stats Comparison
Ty Cobb has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ty Cobb played 1905–1928 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
Ty Cobb (1905–1928) and Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) — they broke in during the 1900s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ty Cobb finished with 4,189 hits and 117 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 Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Ty Cobb's .945.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ty Cobb, with .366 to Lou Gehrig's .340.
- Who had more hits? Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Ty Cobb's 1,944.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ty Cobb, with 87,488 career PIV to Lou Gehrig's 81,072.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Ty Cobb's 0.
Lou Gehrig
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ty Cobb 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 1900s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ty Cobb | Lou Gehrig |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,035 | 2,164 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,436 | 8,001 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,247 | 1,888 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,189 | 2,721 |
| Doubles | Leads: 724 | 534 |
| Triples | Leads: 295 | 163 |
| Home Runs | 117 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,944 | Leads: 1,995 |
| Walks | 1,249 | Leads: 1,508 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 680 | 790 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 896 | 102 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .366 | .340 |
| On-Base % | .433 | Leads: .447 |
| Slugging % | .512 | Leads: .632 |
| OPS | .945 | Leads: 1.080 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ty Cobb edges Lou Gehrig 87,488 to 81,072 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ty Cobb played 24 seasons to Lou Gehrig's 17, while Lou Gehrig carries the higher per-season figure (4,769 to 3,645). 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).
Ty Cobb — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ty Cobb leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Lou Gehrig owns home runs, RBI, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ty Cobb. PIV agrees: Ty Cobb grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ty Cobb and Lou Gehrig careers compare
The careers of Ty Cobb (1905–1928) and Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) overlapped from 1923 to 1928, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 3,035 games for Ty Cobb and 2,164 for Lou Gehrig across 24 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ty Cobb walked more often than struck out (1,249 walks, 680 strikeouts); Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts). Lou Gehrig is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,721 hits leaving the park.
Ty Cobb vs Lou Gehrig: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ty Cobb or Lou Gehrig?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ty Cobb leads Lou Gehrig in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ty Cobb or Lou Gehrig hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Ty Cobb's .945.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ty Cobb, with .366 to Lou Gehrig's .340.
- Who had more hits?
- Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.