Eddie Mathews vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Mathews has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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 Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 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 Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Ted Simmons's 1,389.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Eddie Mathews
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Ted Simmons. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eddie Mathews | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,391 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 8,537 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,509 | 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,315 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 248 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,453 | 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 68 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .885 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Ted Simmons 45,555 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Ted Simmons's 21. 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
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ted Simmons owns hits 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 Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1968 to 1968, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,391 games for Eddie Mathews and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Eddie Mathews holds the edge, .376 to .348.
Eddie Mathews vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Ted Simmons in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.