Rafael Devers vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rafael Devers has played 2017–present 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
Rafael Devers (2017–present) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rafael Devers has 1,359 hits and 272 home runs through October 6, 2026; 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 Rafael Devers's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Rafael Devers's .856.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Devers, with .274 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Rafael Devers's 1,359.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Rafael Devers's 845.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Rafael Devers's 15,166.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Rafael Devers's 1.
Rafael Devers
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rafael Devers 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, and the 2010s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Rafael Devers is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Rafael Devers | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,291 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 4,967 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 803 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | 1,359 | Leads: 2,315 |
| Doubles | 324 | Leads: 354 |
| Triples | 13 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 272 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 845 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 539 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,247 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | 33 | Leads: 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .508 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .856 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Rafael Devers 45,555 to 15,166 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,531 PIV per season to 1,517, across 18 seasons to 10. 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).
Rafael Devers — top 3 seasons by OPS
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Rafael Devers owns 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 Rafael Devers and Eddie Mathews careers compare
Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) was finished before Rafael Devers (2017–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 1,291 games of Rafael Devers with 2,391 of Eddie Mathews across 10 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Rafael Devers's edges on the table are batting average (.274 to .271). Rafael Devers struck out more than walked (1,247 to 539); Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). In slugging percentage, Eddie Mathews holds the edge, .509 to .508. Best seasons: 2019 for Rafael Devers (.916 OPS, 32 HR, 115 RBI, .311 avg) and 1953 for Eddie Mathews (1.033 OPS, 47 HR, 135 RBI, .302 avg). Because Rafael Devers is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Rafael Devers vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rafael Devers or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Rafael Devers in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rafael Devers or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Rafael Devers's 272.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Rafael Devers's .856.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Devers, with .274 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Rafael Devers's 1,359.