Mickey Mantle vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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). Mickey Mantle played 1951–1968 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Mickey Mantle (1951–1968) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mickey Mantle finished with 2,415 hits and 536 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mickey Mantle, with .977 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Mickey Mantle's .298.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Mickey Mantle's 2,415.
- Who drove in more runs? Mickey Mantle, with 1,509 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mickey Mantle, with 67,905 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
- Who won more championships? Mickey Mantle, with 7 World Series titles to Pete Rose's 3.
Mickey Mantle
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mickey Mantle and Pete Rose. 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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mickey Mantle | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,401 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 8,102 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,677 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,415 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 344 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 536 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,509 | 1,314 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,733 | 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,710 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 153 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .298 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .421 | .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .557 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mickey Mantle outpaces Pete Rose 67,905 to 40,772 — driven by per-season impact — 3,773 PIV per season to 1,631 — rather than by longevity, since Mickey Mantle played 18 seasons to Pete Rose's 25. 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).
Mickey Mantle — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mickey Mantle leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Pete Rose owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mickey Mantle. PIV agrees: Mickey Mantle grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mickey Mantle and Pete Rose careers compare
From 1963 through 1968, Mickey Mantle and Pete Rose were in the majors together. With 2,401 games against 3,562 across 18 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Mickey Mantle walked more often than struck out (1,733 walks, 1,710 strikeouts); Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Mickey Mantle is the more power-leaning hitter, with 536 of 2,415 hits leaving the park. Mickey Mantle was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mickey Mantle's slugging percentage of .557 tops Pete Rose's .409.
Mickey Mantle vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mickey Mantle or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Mickey Mantle in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mickey Mantle or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mickey Mantle, with .977 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Mickey Mantle's .298.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Mickey Mantle's 2,415.