Lou Gehrig vs Jim Thome: 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; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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 Jim Thome (1991–2012) — 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; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Jim Thome's .956.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Jim Thome's 2,328.
- Who drove in more runs? Lou Gehrig, with 1,995 to Jim Thome's 1,699.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Gehrig, with 81,072 career PIV to Jim Thome's 51,664.
- Who won more championships? Lou Gehrig, with 8 World Series titles to Jim Thome's 0.
Lou Gehrig
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Gehrig and Jim Thome. 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 | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,164 | Leads: 2,543 |
| At-Bats | 8,001 | Leads: 8,422 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,888 | 1,583 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,721 | 2,328 |
| Doubles | Leads: 534 | 451 |
| Triples | Leads: 163 | 26 |
| Home Runs | 493 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,995 | 1,699 |
| Walks | 1,508 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 790 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 102 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .340 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .447 | .402 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .632 | .554 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.080 | .956 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Gehrig outpaces Jim Thome 81,072 to 51,664 — driven by per-season impact — 4,769 PIV per season to 2,067 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Gehrig played 17 seasons to Jim Thome's 25. 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
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Gehrig leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Jim Thome owns 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 Jim Thome careers compare
Lou Gehrig (1923–1939) was finished before Jim Thome (1991–2012) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,164 games against 2,543 across 17 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jim Thome's edges on the table are games (2,543 to 2,164), at-bats (8,422 to 8,001), and home runs (612 to 493). At the plate, Lou Gehrig walked more often than struck out (1,508 walks, 790 strikeouts), while Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). Jim Thome is the more power-leaning hitter, with 612 of 2,328 hits leaving the park. Lou Gehrig was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Lou Gehrig vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Gehrig or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Gehrig leads Jim Thome in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Gehrig or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Lou Gehrig's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Gehrig, with 1.080 to Jim Thome's .956.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Gehrig, with .340 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Gehrig, with 2,721 to Jim Thome's 2,328.