Eddie Mathews vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews and Cal Ripken 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; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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 Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 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 Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Cal Ripken, with .276 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Cal Ripken's 1.
Eddie Mathews
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Cal Ripken. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eddie Mathews | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,391 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 8,537 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | 1,509 | Leads: 1,647 |
| Hits | 2,315 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 431 |
| RBI | 1,453 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 68 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Cal Ripken 45,555 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Cal Ripken owns hits, RBI, and runs. 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 Cal Ripken careers compare
Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) was finished before Cal Ripken (1981–2001) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews and 3,001 for Cal Ripken across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444); Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Eddie Mathews holds the edge, .509 to .447.
Eddie Mathews vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Eddie Mathews or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Cal Ripken's 431.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Cal Ripken, with .276 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.