Ken Griffey vs Don Mattingly: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey and Don Mattingly are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ken Griffey played 1973–1991 as a hitter; Don Mattingly played 1982–1995 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
Ken Griffey (1973–1991) and Don Mattingly (1982–1995) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Griffey finished with 2,143 hits and 152 home runs; Don Mattingly finished with 2,153 hits and 222 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Don Mattingly, with 222 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS? Don Mattingly, with .830 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average? Don Mattingly, with .307 to Ken Griffey's .296.
- Who had more hits? Don Mattingly, with 2,153 to Ken Griffey's 2,143.
- Who drove in more runs? Don Mattingly, with 1,099 to Ken Griffey's 859.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Don Mattingly, with 21,189 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 15,957.
- Who won more championships? Ken Griffey, with 3 World Series titles to Don Mattingly's 0.
Ken Griffey
Don Mattingly
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Don Mattingly. 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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Griffey | Don Mattingly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,097 | 1,785 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,229 | 7,003 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,129 | 1,007 |
| Hits | 2,143 | Leads: 2,153 |
| Doubles | 364 | Leads: 442 |
| Triples | Leads: 77 | 20 |
| Home Runs | 152 | Leads: 222 |
| RBI | 859 | Leads: 1,099 |
| Walks | Leads: 719 | 588 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 898 | 444 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 200 | 14 |
| Batting Avg | .296 | Leads: .307 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .431 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | .790 | Leads: .830 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Mattingly leads Ken Griffey 21,189 to 15,957 — driven by per-season impact — 1,514 PIV per season to 725 — rather than by longevity, since Don Mattingly played 14 seasons to Ken Griffey'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).
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Mattingly leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Ken Griffey owns runs, stolen bases, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Mattingly. PIV agrees: Don Mattingly grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Griffey and Don Mattingly careers compare
From 1982 through 1991, Ken Griffey and Don Mattingly were in the majors together. With 2,097 games against 1,785 across 22 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (898 to 719), but Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Don Mattingly's hits: 152 of 2,143 for Ken Griffey, 222 of 2,153 for Don Mattingly. Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Don Mattingly's slugging percentage of .471 tops Ken Griffey's .431.
Ken Griffey vs Don Mattingly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Ken Griffey or Don Mattingly hit more home runs?
- Don Mattingly, with 222 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Don Mattingly, with .830 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Don Mattingly, with .307 to Ken Griffey's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Don Mattingly, with 2,153 to Ken Griffey's 2,143.