Eddie Mathews vs Tony Perez: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews and Tony Perez are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 as a hitter; Tony Perez played 1964–1986 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 Tony Perez (1964–1986) — 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; Tony Perez finished with 2,732 hits and 379 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 Tony Perez's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Tony Perez's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tony Perez, with .279 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Tony Perez, with 2,732 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Tony Perez, with 1,652 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Tony Perez's 28,896.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Eddie Mathews
Tony Perez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Tony Perez. 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 | Tony Perez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,391 | Leads: 2,777 |
| At-Bats | 8,537 | Leads: 9,778 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,509 | 1,272 |
| Hits | 2,315 | Leads: 2,732 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 505 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 379 |
| RBI | 1,453 | Leads: 1,652 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 925 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 1,867 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 68 | 49 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .341 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .463 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .804 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Tony Perez 45,555 to 28,896 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 1,256 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Tony Perez'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).
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tony Perez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Tony Perez owns hits, RBI, and batting average. 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 Tony Perez careers compare
From 1964 through 1968, Eddie Mathews and Tony Perez were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews and 2,777 for Tony Perez across 18 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444); Tony Perez struck out more than walked (1,867 to 925). Home runs make up a larger share of Eddie Mathews's hits: 512 of 2,315 for Eddie Mathews, 379 of 2,732 for Tony Perez. Eddie Mathews's slugging percentage of .509 tops Tony Perez's .463.
Eddie Mathews vs Tony Perez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Eddie Mathews or Tony Perez hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Tony Perez's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Tony Perez's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tony Perez, with .279 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Tony Perez, with 2,732 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.