Joe DiMaggio vs Mickey Mantle: Career Stats Comparison
Mickey Mantle has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Joe DiMaggio played 1936–1951 as a hitter; Mickey Mantle played 1951–1968 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
Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) and Mickey Mantle (1951–1968) — they debuted in the 1930s and the 1950s respectively, so they played in different run environments. Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 home runs; Mickey Mantle finished with 2,415 hits and 536 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Mickey Mantle, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS? Neither — both are at .977.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Mickey Mantle's .298.
- Who had more hits? Mickey Mantle, with 2,415 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe DiMaggio, with 1,537 to Mickey Mantle's 1,509.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mickey Mantle, with 67,905 career PIV to Joe DiMaggio's 47,427.
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1930s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe DiMaggio | Mickey Mantle |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,736 | 2,401 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,821 | 8,102 |
| Runs | 1,390 | Leads: 1,677 |
| Hits | 2,214 | Leads: 2,415 |
| Doubles | Leads: 389 | 344 |
| Triples | Leads: 131 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 361 | Leads: 536 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,537 | 1,509 |
| Walks | 790 | Leads: 1,733 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 369 | 1,710 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 153 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .298 |
| On-Base % | .398 | Leads: .421 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .579 | .557 |
| OPS | .977 | Leads: .977 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mickey Mantle outpaces Joe DiMaggio 67,905 to 47,427 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,773 PIV per season to 3,648, across 18 seasons to 13. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Joe DiMaggio — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mickey Mantle — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Mickey Mantle leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, home runs, walks, and others. Joe DiMaggio leads 5: doubles, triples, RBI, batting average, and others. They played in different eras, and these rows are not era-adjusted. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mickey Mantle. PIV agrees: Mickey Mantle grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle careers compare
Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle were active at the same time between 1951 and 1951. With 1,736 games against 2,401 across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts), and Mickey Mantle walked more often than struck out (1,733 walks, 1,710 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mickey Mantle's hits: 361 of 2,214 for Joe DiMaggio, 536 of 2,415 for Mickey Mantle. Mickey Mantle was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Joe DiMaggio holds the edge, .579 to .557.
Joe DiMaggio vs Mickey Mantle: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mickey Mantle leads Joe DiMaggio in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle hit more home runs?
- Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Neither — both are at .977.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Mickey Mantle's .298.
- Who had more hits?
- Mickey Mantle, with 2,415 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.