Mickey Mantle vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Mickey Mantle 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). Mickey Mantle played 1951–1968 as a hitter; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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 Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — 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; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 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 Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mickey Mantle, with .977 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mickey Mantle, with .298 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Mickey Mantle's 2,415.
- Who drove in more runs? Mickey Mantle, with 1,509 to Ted Simmons's 1,389.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mickey Mantle, with 67,905 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Mickey Mantle, with 7 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Mickey Mantle
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mickey Mantle and Ted Simmons. 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 | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,401 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 8,102 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,677 | 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,415 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 344 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 536 | 248 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,509 | 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,733 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,710 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 153 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .421 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .557 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mickey Mantle outpaces Ted Simmons 67,905 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 3,773 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Mickey Mantle played 18 seasons to Ted Simmons's 21. 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
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mickey Mantle leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ted Simmons owns hits. 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 Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Mickey Mantle (1951–1968) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1968 to 1968, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,401 games for Mickey Mantle and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Ted Simmons comes out ahead, it is in games (2,456 to 2,401), at-bats (8,680 to 8,102), and hits (2,472 to 2,415). Mickey Mantle walked more often than struck out (1,733 walks, 1,710 strikeouts); Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts).
Mickey Mantle vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mickey Mantle or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mickey Mantle leads Ted Simmons in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mickey Mantle or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mickey Mantle, with .977 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mickey Mantle, with .298 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Mickey Mantle's 2,415.