Lou Gehrig vs Paul Goldschmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 as a hitter; Paul Goldschmidt has played 2011–present 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
Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) and Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs; Paul Goldschmidt has 2,277 hits and 390 home runs through October 6, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Paul Goldschmidt's 1,284.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Paul Goldschmidt's 35,401.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Paul Goldschmidt's 0.
Lou Gehrig
Paul Goldschmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Paul Goldschmidt. 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 1920s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Goldschmidt is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Lou Gehrig | Paul Goldschmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 2,179 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,001 | 7,953 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,324 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,721 | 2,277 |
| Doubles | Leads: 534 | 490 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,284 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 1,115 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 2,065 |
| Stolen Bases | 102 | Leads: 175 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .286 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .501 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .877 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Paul Goldschmidt 81,072 to 35,401 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,769 PIV per season to 2,360, across 17 seasons to 15. 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).
Lou Gehrig — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Goldschmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Paul Goldschmidt owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Gehrig. PIV agrees: Lou Gehrig grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Gehrig and Paul Goldschmidt careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lou Gehrig's ended in 1939, and Paul Goldschmidt debuted in 2011. With 2,164 games against 2,179 across 17 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Paul Goldschmidt's edges on the table are games (2,179 to 2,164) and stolen bases (175 to 102). At the plate, Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts), while Paul Goldschmidt struck out more than walked (2,065 to 1,115). Paul Goldschmidt was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Lou Gehrig holds the edge, .447 to .375. Paul Goldschmidt's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Lou Gehrig vs Paul Goldschmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Paul Goldschmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Paul Goldschmidt in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Paul Goldschmidt hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Paul Goldschmidt's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.