Eddie Mathews vs Johnny Mize: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews 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). Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 as a hitter; Johnny Mize played 1936–1953 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
Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) and Johnny Mize (1936–1953) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs; Johnny Mize finished with 2,011 hits and 359 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Johnny Mize's 359.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Mize, with .959 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Johnny Mize, with .312 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Johnny Mize's 2,011.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Johnny Mize's 1,337.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Johnny Mize's 43,061.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Mize, with 5 World Series titles to Eddie Mathews's 2.
Eddie Mathews
Johnny Mize
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Johnny Mize. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eddie Mathews | Johnny Mize |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,391 | 1,884 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,537 | 6,443 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,509 | 1,118 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,315 | 2,011 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 367 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 83 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 359 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,453 | 1,337 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 856 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 524 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 68 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .397 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .562 |
| OPS | .885 | Leads: .959 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews edges Johnny Mize 45,555 to 43,061 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Johnny Mize's 16, while Johnny Mize carries the higher per-season figure (2,691 to 2,531). 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).
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Johnny Mize — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Johnny Mize owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Mathews. PIV agrees: Eddie Mathews grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Eddie Mathews and Johnny Mize careers compare
From 1952 through 1953, Eddie Mathews and Johnny Mize were in the majors together. With 2,391 games against 1,884 across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444), while Johnny Mize walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 524 strikeouts). In slugging percentage, Johnny Mize holds the edge, .562 to .509. Johnny Mize owns the better peak by OPS: 1.033 OPS in 1953 for Eddie Mathews against 1.070 OPS in 1939 for Johnny Mize.
Eddie Mathews vs Johnny Mize: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Johnny Mize?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Johnny Mize in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Johnny Mize hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Johnny Mize's 359.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Mize, with .959 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Johnny Mize, with .312 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Johnny Mize's 2,011.