Roger Maris vs Frank Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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 Frank Robinson (1956–1976) — 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; Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Roger Maris's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Roger Maris's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Robinson, with .294 to Roger Maris's .260.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Roger Maris's 1,325.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Roger Maris's 851.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Roger Maris's 17,267.
- Who won more championships? Roger Maris, with 3 World Series titles to Frank Robinson's 2.
Roger Maris
Frank Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roger Maris and Frank 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 | Frank Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,463 | Leads: 2,808 |
| At-Bats | 5,101 | Leads: 10,006 |
| Runs | 826 | Leads: 1,829 |
| Hits | 1,325 | Leads: 2,943 |
| Doubles | 195 | Leads: 528 |
| Triples | 42 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 275 | Leads: 586 |
| RBI | 851 | Leads: 1,812 |
| Walks | 652 | Leads: 1,420 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 733 | 1,532 |
| Stolen Bases | 21 | Leads: 204 |
| Batting Avg | .260 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .345 | Leads: .389 |
| Slugging % | .476 | Leads: .537 |
| OPS | .822 | Leads: .926 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Roger Maris 67,113 to 17,267 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,051 PIV per season to 1,328, across 22 seasons to 13. 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
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Frank Robinson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Roger Maris owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Maris and Frank Robinson careers compare
Roger Maris and Frank Robinson were active at the same time between 1957 and 1968. Frank Robinson has the far longer record, 2,808 games against 1,463 across 13 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Every scored category on the table goes to Frank Robinson. At the plate, Roger Maris struck out more than walked (733 to 652), and Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420). On the bases, Frank Robinson stole more often per game played (21 steals in 1,463 games for Roger Maris, 204 in 2,808 for Frank Robinson). In on-base percentage, Frank Robinson holds the edge, .389 to .345.
Roger Maris vs Frank Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Maris or Frank Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Roger Maris in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roger Maris or Frank Robinson hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Roger Maris's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Roger Maris's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Robinson, with .294 to Roger Maris's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Roger Maris's 1,325.