Eddie Mathews vs Scott Rolen: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Scott Rolen played 1996–2012 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 Scott Rolen (1996–2012) — 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; Scott Rolen finished with 2,077 hits and 316 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 Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Scott Rolen's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Scott Rolen, with .281 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Scott Rolen's 1,287.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Scott Rolen's 20,867.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Scott Rolen's 1.
Eddie Mathews
Scott Rolen
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Scott Rolen. 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 | Scott Rolen |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,391 | 2,038 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,537 | 7,398 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,509 | 1,211 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,315 | 2,077 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 517 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 43 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 316 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,453 | 1,287 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 899 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 1,410 |
| Stolen Bases | 68 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .281 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .364 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .490 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Scott Rolen 45,555 to 20,867 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 1,098 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Scott Rolen's 19. 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
Scott Rolen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Scott Rolen 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 Scott Rolen careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Eddie Mathews's ended in 1968, and Scott Rolen debuted in 1996. The two careers are close in length, 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews and 2,038 for Scott Rolen across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Scott Rolen are doubles (517 to 354), stolen bases (118 to 68), and batting average (.281 to .271). Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444); Scott Rolen struck out more than walked (1,410 to 899). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park.
Eddie Mathews vs Scott Rolen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Scott Rolen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Scott Rolen in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Scott Rolen hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Scott Rolen's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Scott Rolen, with .281 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.