Nellie Fox vs Chase Utley: Career Stats Comparison
Chase Utley 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; Chase Utley played 2003–2018 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 Chase Utley (2003–2018) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; Chase Utley finished with 1,885 hits and 259 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Chase Utley, with 259 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Chase Utley, with .823 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nellie Fox, with .288 to Chase Utley's .275.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Chase Utley's 1,885.
- Who drove in more runs? Chase Utley, with 1,025 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Chase Utley, with 17,446 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Chase Utley, with 1 World Series title to Nellie Fox's 0.
Chase Utley
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Chase Utley. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nellie Fox | Chase Utley |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 1,937 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 6,857 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,279 | 1,103 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 1,885 |
| Doubles | 355 | Leads: 411 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 58 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 259 |
| RBI | 790 | Leads: 1,025 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 724 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 1,193 |
| Stolen Bases | 76 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .275 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .465 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .823 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chase Utley outpaces Nellie Fox 17,446 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 1,026 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Chase Utley played 17 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
Chase Utley — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chase Utley leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and OBP, while Nellie Fox owns hits, runs, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chase Utley. PIV agrees: Chase Utley 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 Chase Utley careers compare
No season is shared: Nellie Fox played 1947–1965, Chase Utley 2003–2018. With 2,367 games against 1,937 across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), but Chase Utley struck out more than walked (1,193 to 724). Home runs make up a larger share of Chase Utley's hits: 35 of 2,663 for Nellie Fox, 259 of 1,885 for Chase Utley. On the bases, Chase Utley stole more often per game played (76 steals in 2,367 games for Nellie Fox, 154 in 1,937 for Chase Utley). Chase Utley's on-base percentage of .358 tops Nellie Fox's .348.
Nellie Fox vs Chase Utley: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nellie Fox or Chase Utley?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chase Utley leads Nellie Fox in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nellie Fox or Chase Utley hit more home runs?
- Chase Utley, with 259 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Chase Utley, with .823 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nellie Fox, with .288 to Chase Utley's .275.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Chase Utley's 1,885.