Lou Gehrig vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig 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). Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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 Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Rafael Palmeiro's 1,835.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Rafael Palmeiro's 42,814.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Lou Gehrig
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Gehrig | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 8,001 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,721 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 534 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 493 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,835 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 102 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Rafael Palmeiro 81,072 to 42,814 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 2,141 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Rafael Palmeiro's 20. 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
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in RBI, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Rafael Palmeiro owns hits and home runs. 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 Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) was finished before Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig and 2,831 for Rafael Palmeiro across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts); Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). On the bases, Lou Gehrig stole more often per game played (102 steals in 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig, 97 in 2,831 for Rafael Palmeiro). Lou Gehrig's slugging percentage of .632 tops Rafael Palmeiro's .515.
Lou Gehrig vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Rafael Palmeiro in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.