Jeff Kent vs Don Mattingly: Career Stats Comparison
Jeff Kent has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jeff Kent played 1992–2008 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
Jeff Kent (1992–2008) and Don Mattingly (1982–1995) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jeff Kent finished with 2,461 hits and 377 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? Jeff Kent, with 377 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Kent, with .855 to Don Mattingly's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Don Mattingly, with .307 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits? Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.
- Who drove in more runs? Jeff Kent, with 1,518 to Don Mattingly's 1,099.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jeff Kent, with 22,166 career PIV to Don Mattingly's 21,189.
- Who won more championships? Jeff Kent, with 1 World Series title to Don Mattingly's 0.
Jeff Kent
Don Mattingly
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Kent 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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Kent | Don Mattingly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,298 | 1,785 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,498 | 7,003 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,320 | 1,007 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,461 | 2,153 |
| Doubles | Leads: 560 | 442 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 20 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 377 | 222 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,518 | 1,099 |
| Walks | Leads: 801 | 588 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,522 | 444 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 94 | 14 |
| Batting Avg | .290 | Leads: .307 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .830 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jeff Kent edges Don Mattingly 22,166 to 21,189 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jeff Kent played 19 seasons to Don Mattingly's 14, while Don Mattingly carries the higher per-season figure (1,514 to 1,167). 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).
Jeff Kent — top 3 seasons by OPS
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jeff Kent leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Don Mattingly owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jeff Kent. PIV agrees: Jeff Kent grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jeff Kent and Don Mattingly careers compare
Jeff Kent and Don Mattingly were active at the same time between 1992 and 1995. The two careers are close in length, 2,298 games for Jeff Kent and 1,785 for Don Mattingly across 19 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Don Mattingly's edges on the table are batting average (.307 to .290) and on-base percentage (.358 to .356). At the plate, Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801), while Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Jeff Kent's hits: 377 of 2,461 for Jeff Kent, 222 of 2,153 for Don Mattingly.
Jeff Kent vs Don Mattingly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Kent or Don Mattingly?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jeff Kent leads Don Mattingly in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Kent or Don Mattingly hit more home runs?
- Jeff Kent, with 377 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Kent, with .855 to Don Mattingly's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Don Mattingly, with .307 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.