Eddie Mathews vs Alex Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Alex Rodriguez 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; Alex Rodriguez played 1994–2016 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 Alex Rodriguez (1994–2016) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs; Alex Rodriguez finished with 3,115 hits and 696 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Eddie Mathews's 512.
- Who had the higher OPS? Alex Rodriguez, with .930 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Alex Rodriguez, with .295 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 2,086 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Alex Rodriguez, with 54,389 career PIV to Eddie Mathews's 45,555.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Alex Rodriguez's 1.
Eddie Mathews
Alex Rodriguez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Alex Rodriguez. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eddie Mathews | Alex Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,391 | Leads: 2,784 |
| At-Bats | 8,537 | Leads: 10,566 |
| Runs | 1,509 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Hits | 2,315 | Leads: 3,115 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 548 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 31 |
| Home Runs | 512 | Leads: 696 |
| RBI | 1,453 | Leads: 2,086 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 1,338 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 2,287 |
| Stolen Bases | 68 | Leads: 329 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .550 |
| OPS | .885 | Leads: .930 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Alex Rodriguez leads Eddie Mathews 54,389 to 45,555 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Alex Rodriguez played 22 seasons to Eddie Mathews's 18, while Eddie Mathews carries the higher per-season figure (2,531 to 2,472). 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
Alex Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Alex Rodriguez leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Eddie Mathews owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Alex Rodriguez. PIV agrees: Alex Rodriguez 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 Alex Rodriguez careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Eddie Mathews's ended in 1968, and Alex Rodriguez debuted in 1994. The two careers are close in length, 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews and 2,784 for Alex Rodriguez across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Eddie Mathews's edges on the table are triples (72 to 31) and walks (1,444 to 1,338). Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444); Alex Rodriguez struck out more than walked (2,287 to 1,338). On the bases, Alex Rodriguez stole more often per game played (68 steals in 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews, 329 in 2,784 for Alex Rodriguez).
Eddie Mathews vs Alex Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Alex Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Alex Rodriguez leads Eddie Mathews in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Alex Rodriguez hit more home runs?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Eddie Mathews's 512.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Alex Rodriguez, with .930 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Alex Rodriguez, with .295 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.