Eddie Mathews vs Stan Musial: Career Stats Comparison
Stan Musial has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Stan Musial played 1941–1963 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 Stan Musial (1941–1963) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs; Stan Musial finished with 3,630 hits and 475 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 Stan Musial's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS? Stan Musial, with .976 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Stan Musial, with .331 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Stan Musial, with 3,630 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Stan Musial, with 1,951 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Stan Musial, with 83,624 career PIV to Eddie Mathews's 45,555.
- Who won more championships? Stan Musial, with 3 World Series titles to Eddie Mathews's 2.
Eddie Mathews
Stan Musial
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Stan Musial. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eddie Mathews | Stan Musial |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,391 | Leads: 3,026 |
| At-Bats | 8,537 | Leads: 10,972 |
| Runs | 1,509 | Leads: 1,949 |
| Hits | 2,315 | Leads: 3,630 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 725 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 177 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 475 |
| RBI | 1,453 | Leads: 1,951 |
| Walks | 1,444 | Leads: 1,599 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 696 |
| Stolen Bases | 68 | Leads: 78 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .331 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .417 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .559 |
| OPS | .885 | Leads: .976 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Stan Musial outpaces Eddie Mathews 83,624 to 45,555 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,801 PIV per season to 2,531, across 22 seasons to 18. 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
Stan Musial — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Stan Musial leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Eddie Mathews owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Stan Musial. PIV agrees: Stan Musial 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 Stan Musial careers compare
Eddie Mathews and Stan Musial were active at the same time between 1952 and 1963. The two careers are close in length, 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews and 3,026 for Stan Musial across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Eddie Mathews are home runs (512 to 475). Plate discipline differs: Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444), but Stan Musial walked more often than struck out (1,599 walks, 696 strikeouts). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Stan Musial holds the edge, .559 to .509.
Eddie Mathews vs Stan Musial: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Stan Musial?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Stan Musial leads Eddie Mathews in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Stan Musial hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Stan Musial's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Stan Musial, with .976 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Stan Musial, with .331 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Stan Musial, with 3,630 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.