Eddie Mathews vs Ivan Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Ivan Rodriguez played 1991–2011 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 Ivan Rodriguez (1991–2011) — 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; Ivan Rodriguez finished with 2,844 hits and 311 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 Ivan Rodriguez's 311.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Ivan Rodriguez's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ivan Rodriguez, with .296 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Ivan Rodriguez, with 2,844 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Ivan Rodriguez's 1,332.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Ivan Rodriguez's 10,232.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Ivan Rodriguez's 1.
Eddie Mathews
Ivan Rodriguez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Ivan 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 | Ivan Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,391 | Leads: 2,543 |
| At-Bats | 8,537 | Leads: 9,592 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,509 | 1,354 |
| Hits | 2,315 | Leads: 2,844 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 572 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 51 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 311 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,453 | 1,332 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 513 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 1,474 |
| Stolen Bases | 68 | Leads: 127 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .464 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .798 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Ivan Rodriguez 45,555 to 10,232 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 445 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Ivan Rodriguez'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
Ivan Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Ivan Rodriguez owns hits, 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 Ivan Rodriguez careers compare
No season is shared: Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968, Ivan Rodriguez 1991–2011. With 2,391 games against 2,543 across 18 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444); Ivan Rodriguez struck out more than walked (1,474 to 513). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Ivan Rodriguez stole more often per game played (68 steals in 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews, 127 in 2,543 for Ivan Rodriguez). In on-base percentage, Eddie Mathews holds the edge, .376 to .334.
Eddie Mathews vs Ivan Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Ivan Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Ivan Rodriguez in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Ivan Rodriguez hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Ivan Rodriguez's 311.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Ivan Rodriguez's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ivan Rodriguez, with .296 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Ivan Rodriguez, with 2,844 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.