Eddie Mathews vs Ron Santo: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 as a hitter; Ron Santo played 1960–1974 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 Ron Santo (1960–1974) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 9 seasons. Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs; Ron Santo finished with 2,254 hits and 342 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Eddie Mathews, in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Ron Santo's .826.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ron Santo, with .277 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Ron Santo's 2,254.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Ron Santo's 1,331.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Ron Santo's 33,743.
Eddie Mathews
Ron Santo
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Ron Santo. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eddie Mathews | Ron Santo |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,391 | 2,243 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,537 | 8,143 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,509 | 1,138 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,315 | 2,254 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 365 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 67 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 342 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,453 | 1,331 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 1,108 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 1,343 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 68 | 35 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .277 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .464 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .826 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Ron Santo 45,555 to 33,743 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,680 PIV per season to 2,250, across 17 seasons to 15. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Ron Santo — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Eddie Mathews leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, triples, home runs, and others. Ron Santo leads 2: doubles and batting average. 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 Ron Santo careers compare
From 1960 through 1968, Eddie Mathews and Ron Santo were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews and 2,243 for Ron Santo across 17 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ron Santo's edges on the table are doubles (365 to 354) and batting average (.277 to .271). At the plate, Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444), and Ron Santo struck out more than walked (1,343 to 1,108). Home runs make up a larger share of Eddie Mathews's hits: 512 of 2,315 for Eddie Mathews, 342 of 2,254 for Ron Santo.
Eddie Mathews vs Ron Santo: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Ron Santo?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Ron Santo in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Ron Santo hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Ron Santo's 342.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Ron Santo's .826.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ron Santo, with .277 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Ron Santo's 2,254.