Joe DiMaggio vs Frank Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Joe DiMaggio played 1936–1951 as a hitter; Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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 Frank Robinson (1956–1976) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 home runs; Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Frank Robinson's .926.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Joe DiMaggio's 1,537.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Joe DiMaggio's 47,427.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Frank Robinson's 2.
Joe DiMaggio
Frank Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe DiMaggio and Frank Robinson. 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 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 | Frank Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,736 | Leads: 2,808 |
| At-Bats | 6,821 | Leads: 10,006 |
| Runs | 1,390 | Leads: 1,829 |
| Hits | 2,214 | Leads: 2,943 |
| Doubles | 389 | Leads: 528 |
| Triples | Leads: 131 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 361 | Leads: 586 |
| RBI | 1,537 | Leads: 1,812 |
| Walks | 790 | Leads: 1,420 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 369 | 1,532 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 204 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .294 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .389 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .579 | .537 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .926 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Joe DiMaggio 67,113 to 47,427 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Frank Robinson played 22 seasons to Joe DiMaggio's 13, while Joe DiMaggio carries the higher per-season figure (3,648 to 3,051). 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).
Joe DiMaggio — top 3 seasons by OPS
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Frank Robinson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe DiMaggio owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson 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 Frank Robinson careers compare
Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) was finished before Frank Robinson (1956–1976) arrived, so they never shared a league. Frank Robinson has the far longer record, 2,808 games against 1,736 across 13 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. At the plate, Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts), while Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420). On the bases, Frank Robinson stole more often per game played (30 steals in 1,736 games for Joe DiMaggio, 204 in 2,808 for Frank Robinson).
Joe DiMaggio vs Frank Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe DiMaggio or Frank Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Joe DiMaggio in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe DiMaggio or Frank Robinson hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Frank Robinson's .926.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.