Barry Larkin vs Don Mattingly: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Larkin has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 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
Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Don Mattingly (1982–1995) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 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? Don Mattingly, with 222 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Don Mattingly, with .830 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Don Mattingly, with .307 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.
- Who drove in more runs? Don Mattingly, with 1,099 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Don Mattingly, with 21,189 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Barry Larkin, with 1 World Series title to Don Mattingly's 0.
Barry Larkin
Don Mattingly
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Don Mattingly |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 1,785 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 7,003 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 1,007 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 2,153 |
| Doubles | 441 | Leads: 442 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 20 |
| Home Runs | 198 | Leads: 222 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,099 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 588 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 444 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 14 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .307 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .830 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Mattingly leads Barry Larkin 21,189 to 17,788 — driven by per-season impact — 1,514 PIV per season to 936 — rather than by longevity, since Don Mattingly played 14 seasons to Barry Larkin's 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).
Barry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Mattingly leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OPS, while Barry Larkin owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Mattingly. PIV agrees: Don Mattingly grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Barry Larkin and Don Mattingly careers compare
Barry Larkin and Don Mattingly were active at the same time between 1986 and 1995. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Barry Larkin and 1,785 for Don Mattingly across 19 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts); Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts). On the bases, Barry Larkin stole more often per game played (379 steals in 2,180 games for Barry Larkin, 14 in 1,785 for Don Mattingly). Don Mattingly's slugging percentage of .471 tops Barry Larkin's .444.
Barry Larkin vs Don Mattingly: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Don Mattingly?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Don Mattingly in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Don Mattingly hit more home runs?
- Don Mattingly, with 222 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Don Mattingly, with .830 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Don Mattingly, with .307 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.