Bobby Doerr vs Joe Medwick: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Medwick has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Bobby Doerr played 1937–1951 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
Bobby Doerr (1937–1951) and Joe Medwick (1932–1948) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bobby Doerr finished with 2,042 hits and 223 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? Bobby Doerr, with 223 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Medwick, with .867 to Bobby Doerr's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Bobby Doerr's .288.
- Who had more hits? Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Bobby Doerr's 2,042.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Bobby Doerr's 1,247.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Medwick, with 28,897 career PIV to Bobby Doerr's 21,613.
- Who won more championships? Joe Medwick, with 1 World Series title to Bobby Doerr's 0.
Bobby Doerr
Joe Medwick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Doerr 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Doerr | Joe Medwick |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,865 | Leads: 1,984 |
| At-Bats | 7,093 | Leads: 7,635 |
| Runs | 1,094 | Leads: 1,198 |
| Hits | 2,042 | Leads: 2,471 |
| Doubles | 381 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 89 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 223 | 205 |
| RBI | 1,247 | Leads: 1,383 |
| Walks | Leads: 809 | 437 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 608 | 551 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 54 | 42 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .324 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | .461 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .823 | Leads: .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Medwick outpaces Bobby Doerr 28,897 to 21,613 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Joe Medwick played 20 seasons to Bobby Doerr's 14, while Bobby Doerr carries the higher per-season figure (1,544 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).
Bobby Doerr — 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 Bobby Doerr owns home runs and stolen bases. 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 Bobby Doerr and Joe Medwick careers compare
From 1937 through 1948, Bobby Doerr and Joe Medwick were in the majors together. With 1,865 games against 1,984 across 14 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bobby Doerr's edges on the table are home runs (223 to 205), walks (809 to 437), and stolen bases (54 to 42). At the plate, Bobby Doerr walked more often than struck out (809 walks, 608 strikeouts), while Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437). Home runs make up a larger share of Bobby Doerr's hits: 223 of 2,042 for Bobby Doerr, 205 of 2,471 for Joe Medwick. Joe Medwick's on-base percentage of .362 tops Bobby Doerr's .362.
Bobby Doerr vs Joe Medwick: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Doerr or Joe Medwick?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Medwick leads Bobby Doerr in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Doerr or Joe Medwick hit more home runs?
- Bobby Doerr, with 223 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Medwick, with .867 to Bobby Doerr's .823.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Bobby Doerr's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Bobby Doerr's 2,042.