Monte Irvin vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Monte Irvin played 1949–1956 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
Monte Irvin (1949–1956) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Monte Irvin finished with 1,091 hits and 140 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 Monte Irvin's 140.
- Who had the higher OPS? Monte Irvin, with .886 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Monte Irvin, with .306 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Monte Irvin's 1,091.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Monte Irvin's 693.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Monte Irvin's 15,659.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Monte Irvin
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Monte Irvin 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 1940s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Monte Irvin | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,055 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 3,570 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 593 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | 1,091 | Leads: 2,315 |
| Doubles | 159 | Leads: 354 |
| Triples | 46 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 140 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 693 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 484 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 231 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | 54 | Leads: 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .392 | .376 |
| Slugging % | .494 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | Leads: .886 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Monte Irvin 45,555 to 15,659 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 870 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Monte Irvin'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).
Monte Irvin — 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 Monte Irvin 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 Monte Irvin and Eddie Mathews careers compare
The careers of Monte Irvin (1949–1956) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) overlapped from 1952 to 1956, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 1,055 games of Monte Irvin with 2,391 of Eddie Mathews across 18 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Monte Irvin's edges on the table are batting average (.306 to .271), on-base percentage (.392 to .376), and OPS (.886 to .885). Plate discipline differs: Monte Irvin walked more often than struck out (484 walks, 231 strikeouts), but Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park.
Monte Irvin vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Monte Irvin or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Monte Irvin in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Monte Irvin or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Monte Irvin's 140.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Monte Irvin, with .886 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Monte Irvin, with .306 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Monte Irvin's 1,091.