Mickey Mantle vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mickey Mantle played 1951–1968 as a hitter; Ted Williams played 1939–1960 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 Williams (1939–1960) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1930s respectively and share 10 seasons. Mickey Mantle finished with 2,415 hits and 536 home runs; Ted Williams finished with 2,654 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ted Williams, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Ted Williams's 521.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Mickey Mantle's .977.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Mickey Mantle's .298.
- Who had more hits? Ted Williams, with 2,654 to Mickey Mantle's 2,415.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Williams, with 1,839 to Mickey Mantle's 1,509.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Mickey Mantle's 67,905.
Mickey Mantle
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Mickey Mantle | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,401 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,102 | 7,706 |
| Runs | 1,677 | Leads: 1,798 |
| Hits | 2,415 | Leads: 2,654 |
| Doubles | 344 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 71 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 536 | 521 |
| RBI | 1,509 | Leads: 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,733 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,710 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 153 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | .298 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .421 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .557 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .977 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams outpaces Mickey Mantle 96,302 to 67,905 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,069 PIV per season to 3,773, across 19 seasons to 18. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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 Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ted Williams leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, RBI, and others. Mickey Mantle leads 3: triples, home runs, and stolen bases. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ted Williams. PIV agrees: Ted Williams 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 Williams careers compare
From 1951 through 1960, Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,401 games for Mickey Mantle and 2,292 for Ted Williams across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Mickey Mantle are triples (72 to 71), home runs (536 to 521), and stolen bases (153 to 24). At the plate, Mickey Mantle walked more often than struck out (1,733 walks, 1,710 strikeouts), and Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts).
Mickey Mantle vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mickey Mantle or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Williams leads Mickey Mantle in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Mickey Mantle or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Mickey Mantle, with 536 to Ted Williams's 521.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Mickey Mantle's .977.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Mickey Mantle's .298.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Williams, with 2,654 to Mickey Mantle's 2,415.