Keith Hernandez vs Don Mattingly: Career Stats Comparison
Keith Hernandez has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Keith Hernandez played 1974–1990 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
Keith Hernandez (1974–1990) and Don Mattingly (1982–1995) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Keith Hernandez finished with 2,182 hits and 162 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 Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS? Don Mattingly, with .830 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Don Mattingly, with .307 to Keith Hernandez's .296.
- Who had more hits? Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.
- Who drove in more runs? Don Mattingly, with 1,099 to Keith Hernandez's 1,071.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Keith Hernandez, with 25,249 career PIV to Don Mattingly's 21,189.
- Who won more championships? Keith Hernandez, with 2 World Series titles to Don Mattingly's 0.
Keith Hernandez
Don Mattingly
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Keith Hernandez 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 | Keith Hernandez | Don Mattingly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,088 | 1,785 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,370 | 7,003 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,124 | 1,007 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,182 | 2,153 |
| Doubles | 426 | Leads: 442 |
| Triples | Leads: 60 | 20 |
| Home Runs | 162 | Leads: 222 |
| RBI | 1,071 | Leads: 1,099 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,070 | 588 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 444 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 98 | 14 |
| Batting Avg | .296 | Leads: .307 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .436 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | .821 | Leads: .830 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Keith Hernandez leads Don Mattingly 25,249 to 21,189 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Keith Hernandez played 18 seasons to Don Mattingly's 14, while Don Mattingly carries the higher per-season figure (1,514 to 1,403). 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).
Keith Hernandez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Keith Hernandez leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Don Mattingly owns home runs, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Keith Hernandez. PIV agrees: Keith Hernandez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Keith Hernandez and Don Mattingly careers compare
Keith Hernandez and Don Mattingly were active at the same time between 1982 and 1990. With 2,088 games against 1,785 across 18 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Keith Hernandez walked more often than struck out (1,070 walks, 1,012 strikeouts); Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Don Mattingly's hits: 162 of 2,182 for Keith Hernandez, 222 of 2,153 for Don Mattingly. Don Mattingly's slugging percentage of .471 tops Keith Hernandez's .436.
Keith Hernandez vs Don Mattingly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Keith Hernandez or Don Mattingly?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Keith Hernandez leads Don Mattingly in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Keith Hernandez or Don Mattingly hit more home runs?
- Don Mattingly, with 222 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Don Mattingly, with .830 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Don Mattingly, with .307 to Keith Hernandez's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.