Larry Doby vs Joe Medwick: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Medwick 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). Larry Doby played 1947–1959 as a hitter; Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 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 Joe Medwick (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Larry Doby finished with 1,697 hits and 273 home runs; Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Larry Doby, with 273 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS? Larry Doby, with .888 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Larry Doby's .288.
- Who had more hits? Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Larry Doby's 1,697.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Larry Doby's 1,093.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Medwick, with 28,897 career PIV to Larry Doby's 28,857.
- Who won more championships? Larry Doby, with 2 World Series titles to Joe Medwick's 1.
Larry Doby
Joe Medwick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Larry Doby and Joe Medwick. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Doby | Joe Medwick |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,674 | Leads: 1,984 |
| At-Bats | 5,883 | Leads: 7,635 |
| Runs | 1,080 | Leads: 1,198 |
| Hits | 1,697 | Leads: 2,471 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 273 | 205 |
| RBI | 1,093 | Leads: 1,383 |
| Walks | Leads: 945 | 437 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 551 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 64 | 42 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .324 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .362 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | Leads: .888 | .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Medwick edges Larry Doby 28,897 to 28,857 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Joe Medwick played 20 seasons to Larry Doby's 19, while Larry Doby carries the higher per-season figure (1,519 to 1,445). 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
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Medwick leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Larry Doby owns home runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Medwick. PIV agrees: Joe Medwick 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 Joe Medwick careers compare
The careers of Larry Doby (1947–1959) and Joe Medwick (1932–1948) overlapped from 1947 to 1948, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,674 games against 1,984 across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Larry Doby struck out more than walked (1,012 to 945), and Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437). Larry Doby is the more power-leaning hitter, with 273 of 1,697 hits leaving the park. Joe Medwick's slugging percentage of .505 tops Larry Doby's .499.
Larry Doby vs Joe Medwick: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Doby or Joe Medwick?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Medwick leads Larry Doby in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Larry Doby or Joe Medwick hit more home runs?
- Larry Doby, with 273 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Larry Doby, with .888 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Larry Doby's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Larry Doby's 1,697.