Lou Gehrig vs Mike Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Gehrig has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Mike Schmidt played 1972–1989 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 Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Gehrig finished with 2,721 hits and 493 home runs; Mike Schmidt finished with 2,234 hits and 548 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Mike Schmidt's .908.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Mike Schmidt's 2,234.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Mike Schmidt's 1,595.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Mike Schmidt's 49,630.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Mike Schmidt's 1.
Lou Gehrig
Mike Schmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Mike Schmidt. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Gehrig | Mike Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 2,404 |
| At-Bats | 8,001 | Leads: 8,352 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,506 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,721 | 2,234 |
| Doubles | Leads: 534 | 408 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 493 | Leads: 548 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,595 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,508 | 1,507 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 1,883 |
| Stolen Bases | 102 | Leads: 174 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .527 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .908 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Mike Schmidt 81,072 to 49,630 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 2,757 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Mike Schmidt's 18. 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
Mike Schmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Mike Schmidt owns home runs 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 Mike Schmidt careers compare
Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) was finished before Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,164 games against 2,404 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Mike Schmidt are games (2,404 to 2,164), at-bats (8,352 to 8,001), and home runs (548 to 493). Plate discipline differs: Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts), but Mike Schmidt struck out more than walked (1,883 to 1,507). Mike Schmidt is the more power-leaning hitter, with 548 of 2,234 hits leaving the park. Mike Schmidt was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Lou Gehrig vs Mike Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Mike Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Mike Schmidt in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Mike Schmidt hit more home runs?
- Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Mike Schmidt's .908.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Mike Schmidt's 2,234.