Nap Lajoie vs Edd Roush: Career Stats Comparison
Nap Lajoie has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nap Lajoie played 1896–1916 as a hitter; Edd Roush played 1913–1931 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
Nap Lajoie (1896–1916) and Edd Roush (1913–1931) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1910s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nap Lajoie finished with 3,243 hits and 82 home runs; Edd Roush finished with 2,376 hits and 68 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Nap Lajoie, with 82 to Edd Roush's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nap Lajoie, with .846 to Edd Roush's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nap Lajoie, with .338 to Edd Roush's .323.
- Who had more hits? Nap Lajoie, with 3,243 to Edd Roush's 2,376.
- Who drove in more runs? Nap Lajoie, with 1,599 to Edd Roush's 981.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nap Lajoie, with 47,526 career PIV to Edd Roush's 20,939.
- Who won more championships? Edd Roush, with 1 World Series title to Nap Lajoie's 0.
Nap Lajoie
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nap Lajoie and Edd Roush. 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 1890s and the 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nap Lajoie | Edd Roush |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,480 | 1,967 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,590 | 7,363 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,504 | 1,099 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,243 | 2,376 |
| Doubles | Leads: 657 | 339 |
| Triples | 163 | Leads: 182 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 82 | 68 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,599 | 981 |
| Walks | Leads: 516 | 484 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 347 | 260 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 380 | 268 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .338 | .323 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .369 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .466 | .446 |
| OPS | Leads: .846 | .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nap Lajoie outpaces Edd Roush 47,526 to 20,939 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,160 PIV per season to 1,102, across 22 seasons to 19. 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).
Nap Lajoie — top 3 seasons by OPS
Edd Roush — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nap Lajoie leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Edd Roush owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nap Lajoie. PIV agrees: Nap Lajoie grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nap Lajoie and Edd Roush careers compare
From 1913 through 1916, Nap Lajoie and Edd Roush were in the majors together. With 2,480 games against 1,967 across 22 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Edd Roush's edges on the table are triples (182 to 163). Nap Lajoie walked more often than struck out (516 walks, 347 strikeouts); Edd Roush walked more often than struck out (484 walks, 260 strikeouts). On the bases, Nap Lajoie stole more often per game played (380 steals in 2,480 games for Nap Lajoie, 268 in 1,967 for Edd Roush). Nap Lajoie's slugging percentage of .466 tops Edd Roush's .446.
Nap Lajoie vs Edd Roush: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nap Lajoie or Edd Roush?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nap Lajoie leads Edd Roush in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nap Lajoie or Edd Roush hit more home runs?
- Nap Lajoie, with 82 to Edd Roush's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nap Lajoie, with .846 to Edd Roush's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nap Lajoie, with .338 to Edd Roush's .323.
- Who had more hits?
- Nap Lajoie, with 3,243 to Edd Roush's 2,376.