Lou Gehrig vs Alex Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Alex Rodriguez 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). Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939 as a hitter; Alex Rodriguez played 1994–2016 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 Alex Rodriguez (1994–2016) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs; Alex Rodriguez finished with 3,115 hits and 696 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Alex Rodriguez's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Alex Rodriguez's .295.
- Who had more hits? Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 2,086 to Lou Gehrig's 1,995.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Alex Rodriguez's 54,389.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Alex Rodriguez's 1.
Lou Gehrig
Alex Rodriguez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Alex Rodriguez. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Gehrig | Alex Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 2,784 |
| At-Bats | 8,001 | Leads: 10,566 |
| Runs | 1,888 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Hits | 2,721 | Leads: 3,115 |
| Doubles | 534 | Leads: 548 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 31 |
| Home Runs | 493 | Leads: 696 |
| RBI | 1,995 | Leads: 2,086 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 1,338 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 2,287 |
| Stolen Bases | 102 | Leads: 329 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .295 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .550 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .930 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Alex Rodriguez 81,072 to 54,389 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 2,472 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Alex Rodriguez's 22. 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
Alex Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Alex Rodriguez leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lou Gehrig owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Alex Rodriguez. Note that PIV actually grades Lou Gehrig ahead, which means Alex Rodriguez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Gehrig and Alex Rodriguez careers compare
No season is shared: Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939, Alex Rodriguez 1994–2016. The two careers are close in length, 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig and 2,784 for Alex Rodriguez across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts), but Alex Rodriguez struck out more than walked (2,287 to 1,338). On the bases, Alex Rodriguez stole more often per game played (102 steals in 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig, 329 in 2,784 for Alex Rodriguez). Lou Gehrig's slugging percentage of .632 tops Alex Rodriguez's .550.
Lou Gehrig vs Alex Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Alex Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Alex Rodriguez leads Lou Gehrig in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Alex Rodriguez hit more home runs?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Alex Rodriguez's .930.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Alex Rodriguez's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.