Lou Gehrig vs Ivan Rodriguez: 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; Ivan Rodriguez played 1991–2011 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 Ivan Rodriguez (1991–2011) — 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; Ivan Rodriguez finished with 2,844 hits and 311 home runs. 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 Ivan Rodriguez's 311.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Ivan Rodriguez's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Ivan Rodriguez's .296.
- Who had more hits? Ivan Rodriguez, with 2,844 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Ivan Rodriguez's 1,332.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Ivan Rodriguez's 10,232.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Ivan Rodriguez's 1.
Lou Gehrig
Ivan Rodriguez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Ivan 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 | Ivan Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 2,543 |
| At-Bats | 8,001 | Leads: 9,592 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,354 |
| Hits | 2,721 | Leads: 2,844 |
| Doubles | 534 | Leads: 572 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 51 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 311 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,332 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 513 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 1,474 |
| Stolen Bases | 102 | Leads: 127 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .296 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .464 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .798 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Ivan Rodriguez 81,072 to 10,232 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 445 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Ivan Rodriguez's 23. 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
Ivan Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Ivan Rodriguez owns hits and 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 Ivan Rodriguez careers compare
No season is shared: Lou Gehrig played 1923–1939, Ivan Rodriguez 1991–2011. The two careers are close in length, 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig and 2,543 for Ivan Rodriguez across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts), while Ivan Rodriguez struck out more than walked (1,474 to 513). Lou Gehrig is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,721 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Ivan Rodriguez stole more often per game played (102 steals in 2,164 games for Lou Gehrig, 127 in 2,543 for Ivan Rodriguez).
Lou Gehrig vs Ivan Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Ivan Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Ivan Rodriguez in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Ivan Rodriguez hit more home runs?
- Lou Gehrig, with 493 to Ivan Rodriguez's 311.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Ivan Rodriguez's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Ivan Rodriguez's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Ivan Rodriguez, with 2,844 to Lou Gehrig's 2,721.