Nellie Fox vs DJ LeMahieu: Career Stats Comparison
Nellie Fox has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nellie Fox played 1947–1965 as a hitter; DJ LeMahieu played 2011–2025 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
Nellie Fox (1947–1965) and DJ LeMahieu (2011–2025) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; DJ LeMahieu finished with 1,772 hits and 126 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? DJ LeMahieu, with 126 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? DJ LeMahieu, with .759 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? DJ LeMahieu, with .289 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to DJ LeMahieu's 1,772.
- Who drove in more runs? Nellie Fox, with 790 to DJ LeMahieu's 663.
- Who has the higher career PIV? DJ LeMahieu, with 6,544 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
DJ LeMahieu
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and DJ LeMahieu. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nellie Fox | DJ LeMahieu |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 1,673 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 6,132 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,279 | 896 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 1,772 |
| Doubles | Leads: 355 | 278 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 39 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 126 |
| RBI | Leads: 790 | 663 |
| Walks | Leads: 719 | 575 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 1,048 |
| Stolen Bases | 76 | Leads: 93 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .289 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .350 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .409 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .759 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), DJ LeMahieu outpaces Nellie Fox 6,544 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 436 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since DJ LeMahieu played 15 seasons to Nellie Fox'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).
Nellie Fox — top 3 seasons by OPS
DJ LeMahieu — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, DJ LeMahieu leads in home runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Nellie Fox owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to DJ LeMahieu. PIV agrees: DJ LeMahieu grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nellie Fox and DJ LeMahieu careers compare
Nellie Fox (1947–1965) was finished before DJ LeMahieu (2011–2025) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,367 games against 1,673 across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), while DJ LeMahieu struck out more than walked (1,048 to 575). Home runs make up a larger share of DJ LeMahieu's hits: 35 of 2,663 for Nellie Fox, 126 of 1,772 for DJ LeMahieu. DJ LeMahieu's slugging percentage of .409 tops Nellie Fox's .363.
Nellie Fox vs DJ LeMahieu: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nellie Fox or DJ LeMahieu?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nellie Fox leads DJ LeMahieu in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nellie Fox or DJ LeMahieu hit more home runs?
- DJ LeMahieu, with 126 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- DJ LeMahieu, with .759 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- DJ LeMahieu, with .289 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to DJ LeMahieu's 1,772.