Eddie Mathews vs Joe Morgan: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Morgan 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). Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 as a hitter; Joe Morgan played 1963–1984 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 Joe Morgan (1963–1984) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs; Joe Morgan finished with 2,517 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? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .271.
- Who had more hits? Joe Morgan, with 2,517 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Joe Morgan's 1,133.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Joe Morgan's 39,255.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Eddie Mathews
Joe Morgan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Joe Morgan. 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 | Eddie Mathews | Joe Morgan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,391 | Leads: 2,649 |
| At-Bats | 8,537 | Leads: 9,277 |
| Runs | 1,509 | Leads: 1,650 |
| Hits | 2,315 | Leads: 2,517 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 449 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 268 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,453 | 1,133 |
| Walks | 1,444 | Leads: 1,865 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 1,015 |
| Stolen Bases | 68 | Leads: 689 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .271 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .392 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .427 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews leads Joe Morgan 45,555 to 39,255 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 1,784 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Joe Morgan's 22. 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
Joe Morgan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Morgan leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Eddie Mathews owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Morgan. Note that PIV actually grades Eddie Mathews ahead, which means Joe Morgan's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Eddie Mathews and Joe Morgan careers compare
From 1963 through 1968, Eddie Mathews and Joe Morgan were in the majors together. With 2,391 games against 2,649 across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Eddie Mathews's edges on the table are home runs (512 to 268), RBI (1,453 to 1,133), and slugging percentage (.509 to .427). At the plate, Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444), while Joe Morgan walked more often than struck out (1,865 walks, 1,015 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Eddie Mathews's hits: 512 of 2,315 for Eddie Mathews, 268 of 2,517 for Joe Morgan.
Eddie Mathews vs Joe Morgan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Joe Morgan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Morgan leads Eddie Mathews in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Joe Morgan hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Morgan, with 2,517 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.