Eddie Mathews vs Phil Rizzuto: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Phil Rizzuto played 1941–1956 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 Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) — 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; Phil Rizzuto finished with 1,588 hits and 38 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 Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average? Phil Rizzuto, with .273 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Phil Rizzuto's 563.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Phil Rizzuto's 662.
- Who won more championships? Phil Rizzuto, with 8 World Series titles to Eddie Mathews's 2.
Eddie Mathews
Phil Rizzuto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Phil Rizzuto. 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 | Phil Rizzuto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,391 | 1,661 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,537 | 5,816 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,509 | 877 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,315 | 1,588 |
| Doubles | Leads: 354 | 239 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 62 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 38 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,453 | 563 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 398 |
| Stolen Bases | 68 | Leads: 149 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .351 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .355 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .706 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Phil Rizzuto 45,555 to 662 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,531 PIV per season to 51, across 18 seasons to 13. 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
Phil Rizzuto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Phil Rizzuto owns stolen bases 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 Phil Rizzuto careers compare
Eddie Mathews and Phil Rizzuto were active at the same time between 1952 and 1956. The two careers are close in length, 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews and 1,661 for Phil Rizzuto across 18 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Phil Rizzuto's edges on the table are stolen bases (149 to 68) and batting average (.273 to .271). Plate discipline differs: Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444), but Phil Rizzuto walked more often than struck out (651 walks, 398 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Eddie Mathews's hits: 512 of 2,315 for Eddie Mathews, 38 of 1,588 for Phil Rizzuto.
Eddie Mathews vs Phil Rizzuto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Phil Rizzuto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Phil Rizzuto in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Phil Rizzuto hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Phil Rizzuto, with .273 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.