Harmon Killebrew vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 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
Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 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? Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Eddie Mathews's 512.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Eddie Mathews, with .271 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Eddie Mathews's 45,555.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Harmon Killebrew
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harmon Killebrew | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,435 | 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 8,147 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 1,283 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | 2,086 | Leads: 2,315 |
| Doubles | 290 | Leads: 354 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 573 | 512 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,453 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,559 | 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 68 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .271 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .884 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew edges Eddie Mathews 48,240 to 45,555 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harmon Killebrew played 22 seasons to Eddie Mathews's 18, while Eddie Mathews carries the higher per-season figure (2,531 to 2,193). 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).
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Harmon Killebrew owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Mathews. Note that PIV actually grades Harmon Killebrew ahead, which means Eddie Mathews's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harmon Killebrew and Eddie Mathews careers compare
Harmon Killebrew and Eddie Mathews were active at the same time between 1954 and 1968. With 2,435 games against 2,391 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Harmon Killebrew comes out ahead, it is in games (2,435 to 2,391), home runs (573 to 512), and RBI (1,584 to 1,453). Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559); Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Eddie Mathews's slugging percentage of .509 tops Harmon Killebrew's .509. Best seasons: 1961 for Harmon Killebrew (1.012 OPS, 46 HR, 122 RBI, .288 avg) and 1953 for Eddie Mathews (1.033 OPS, 47 HR, 135 RBI, .302 avg).
Harmon Killebrew vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harmon Killebrew or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Harmon Killebrew in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Eddie Mathews's 512.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Eddie Mathews, with .271 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.