Larry Doby vs Mickey Mantle: Career Stats Comparison
Mickey Mantle has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Larry Doby played 1947–1959 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
Larry Doby (1947–1959) and Mickey Mantle (1951–1968) — they debuted in the 1940s and the 1950s respectively and share 9 seasons. Larry Doby finished with 1,697 hits and 273 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 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mickey Mantle, with .977 to Larry Doby's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mickey Mantle, with .298 to Larry Doby's .288.
- Who had more hits? Mickey Mantle, with 2,415 to Larry Doby's 1,697.
- Who drove in more runs? Mickey Mantle, with 1,509 to Larry Doby's 1,093.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mickey Mantle, with 67,905 career PIV to Larry Doby's 28,857.
Larry Doby
Mickey Mantle
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Larry Doby 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Doby | Mickey Mantle |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,674 | 2,401 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,883 | 8,102 |
| Runs | 1,080 | Leads: 1,677 |
| Hits | 1,697 | Leads: 2,415 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 344 |
| Triples | 72 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 273 | Leads: 536 |
| RBI | 1,093 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Walks | 945 | Leads: 1,733 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 1,710 |
| Stolen Bases | 64 | Leads: 153 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | .389 | Leads: .421 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .557 |
| OPS | .888 | Leads: .977 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mickey Mantle outpaces Larry Doby 67,905 to 28,857 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,773 PIV per season to 1,697, across 18 seasons to 17. 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).
Larry Doby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mickey Mantle — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Mickey Mantle leads 11 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Larry Doby leads 0: no scored category. 1 is tied. 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 Larry Doby and Mickey Mantle careers compare
Larry Doby and Mickey Mantle were active at the same time between 1951 and 1959. With 1,674 games against 2,401 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Mickey Mantle leads every scored row of the table. Plate discipline differs: Larry Doby struck out more than walked (1,012 to 945), but Mickey Mantle walked more often than struck out (1,733 walks, 1,710 strikeouts). Mickey Mantle is the more power-leaning hitter, with 536 of 2,415 hits leaving the park. Mickey Mantle was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Mickey Mantle holds the edge, .557 to .499.
Larry Doby vs Mickey Mantle: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Doby or Mickey Mantle?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mickey Mantle leads Larry Doby in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Larry Doby or Mickey Mantle hit more home runs?
- Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mickey Mantle, with .977 to Larry Doby's .888.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mickey Mantle, with .298 to Larry Doby's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Mickey Mantle, with 2,415 to Larry Doby's 1,697.