Larry Doby vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Larry Doby played 1947–1959 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
Larry Doby (1947–1959) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Larry Doby finished with 1,697 hits and 273 home runs; 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 Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS? Larry Doby, with .888 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Larry Doby, with .288 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Larry Doby's 1,697.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Larry Doby's 1,093.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Larry Doby's 28,857.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Larry Doby
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Larry Doby 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 1940s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Doby | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,674 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 5,883 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 1,080 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | 1,697 | Leads: 2,315 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 354 |
| Triples | 72 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 273 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 1,093 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 945 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | 64 | Leads: 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .376 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | Leads: .888 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Larry Doby 45,555 to 28,857 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 1,519 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Larry Doby's 19. 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).
Larry Doby — 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 Larry Doby owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. 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 Larry Doby and Eddie Mathews careers compare
From 1952 through 1959, Larry Doby and Eddie Mathews were in the majors together. With 1,674 games against 2,391 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Larry Doby are batting average (.288 to .271), on-base percentage (.389 to .376), and OPS (.888 to .885). At the plate, Larry Doby struck out more than walked (1,012 to 945), and Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Eddie Mathews holds the edge, .509 to .499.
Larry Doby vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Doby or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Larry Doby in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Larry Doby or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Larry Doby, with .888 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Larry Doby, with .288 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Larry Doby's 1,697.