Ralph Kiner 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). Ralph Kiner played 1946–1955 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
Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ralph Kiner finished with 1,451 hits and 369 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 Ralph Kiner's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ralph Kiner, with .279 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Ralph Kiner's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Ralph Kiner's 35,424.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Ralph Kiner's 0.
Ralph Kiner
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ralph Kiner 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 | Ralph Kiner | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,472 | Leads: 2,391 |
| At-Bats | 5,205 | Leads: 8,537 |
| Runs | 971 | Leads: 1,509 |
| Hits | 1,451 | Leads: 2,315 |
| Doubles | 216 | Leads: 354 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 369 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 1,011 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 749 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | 22 | Leads: 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .548 | .509 |
| OPS | Leads: .946 | .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews leads Ralph Kiner 45,555 to 35,424 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Ralph Kiner's 11, while Ralph Kiner carries the higher per-season figure (3,220 to 2,531). 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).
Ralph Kiner — 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 Ralph Kiner 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 Ralph Kiner and Eddie Mathews careers compare
Ralph Kiner and Eddie Mathews were active at the same time between 1952 and 1955. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Ralph Kiner appeared in 1,472 games to Eddie Mathews's 2,391. Ralph Kiner's edges on the table are batting average (.279 to .271), on-base percentage (.398 to .376), and slugging percentage (.548 to .509). At the plate, Ralph Kiner walked more often than struck out (1,011 walks, 749 strikeouts), while Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Ralph Kiner owns the better peak by OPS: 1.089 OPS in 1949 for Ralph Kiner against 1.033 OPS in 1953 for Eddie Mathews.
Ralph Kiner vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ralph Kiner or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Ralph Kiner in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ralph Kiner or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Ralph Kiner's 369.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ralph Kiner, with .279 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.