Roger Maris vs Brooks Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Brooks Robinson 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). Roger Maris played 1957–1968 as a hitter; Brooks Robinson played 1955–1977 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
Roger Maris (1957–1968) and Brooks Robinson (1955–1977) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Roger Maris finished with 1,325 hits and 275 home runs; Brooks Robinson finished with 2,848 hits and 268 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Roger Maris, with 275 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roger Maris, with .822 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average? Brooks Robinson, with .267 to Roger Maris's .260.
- Who had more hits? Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Roger Maris's 1,325.
- Who drove in more runs? Brooks Robinson, with 1,357 to Roger Maris's 851.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roger Maris, with 17,267 career PIV to Brooks Robinson's 9,441.
- Who won more championships? Roger Maris, with 3 World Series titles to Brooks Robinson's 2.
Roger Maris
Brooks Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roger Maris and Brooks Robinson. 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 | Roger Maris | Brooks Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,463 | Leads: 2,896 |
| At-Bats | 5,101 | Leads: 10,654 |
| Runs | 826 | Leads: 1,232 |
| Hits | 1,325 | Leads: 2,848 |
| Doubles | 195 | Leads: 482 |
| Triples | 42 | Leads: 68 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 275 | 268 |
| RBI | 851 | Leads: 1,357 |
| Walks | 652 | Leads: 860 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 733 | 990 |
| Stolen Bases | 21 | Leads: 28 |
| Batting Avg | .260 | Leads: .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .345 | .322 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .476 | .401 |
| OPS | Leads: .822 | .723 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Maris outpaces Brooks Robinson 17,267 to 9,441 — driven by per-season impact — 1,328 PIV per season to 410 — rather than by longevity, since Roger Maris played 13 seasons to Brooks Robinson's 23. 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).
Roger Maris — top 3 seasons by OPS
Brooks Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Brooks Robinson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Roger Maris owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Brooks Robinson. Note that PIV actually grades Roger Maris ahead, which means Brooks Robinson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Maris and Brooks Robinson careers compare
The careers of Roger Maris (1957–1968) and Brooks Robinson (1955–1977) overlapped from 1957 to 1968, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Roger Maris appeared in 1,463 games to Brooks Robinson's 2,896. Where Roger Maris comes out ahead, it is in home runs (275 to 268), on-base percentage (.345 to .322), and slugging percentage (.476 to .401). Roger Maris struck out more than walked (733 to 652); Brooks Robinson struck out more than walked (990 to 860). Roger Maris is the more power-leaning hitter, with 275 of 1,325 hits leaving the park.
Roger Maris vs Brooks Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Maris or Brooks Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Brooks Robinson leads Roger Maris in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roger Maris or Brooks Robinson hit more home runs?
- Roger Maris, with 275 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roger Maris, with .822 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Brooks Robinson, with .267 to Roger Maris's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Roger Maris's 1,325.