Hank Greenberg vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews 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). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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
Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Hank Greenberg
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Eddie Mathews. 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 1930s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,315 |
| Doubles | Leads: 379 | 354 |
| Triples | 71 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | 58 | Leads: 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .509 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews edges Hank Greenberg 45,555 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,531). 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).
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hank Greenberg owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Mathews. PIV agrees: Eddie Mathews grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Greenberg and Eddie Mathews careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Hank Greenberg's ended in 1947, and Eddie Mathews debuted in 1952. The table compares 1,394 games of Hank Greenberg with 2,391 of Eddie Mathews across 13 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Plate discipline differs: Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), but Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Hank Greenberg owns the better peak by OPS: 1.122 OPS in 1938 for Hank Greenberg against 1.033 OPS in 1953 for Eddie Mathews.
Hank Greenberg vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Hank Greenberg in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.