Eddie Mathews vs Willie Stargell: 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; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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 Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — 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; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 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 Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Willie Stargell's 42,804.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Eddie Mathews
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Eddie Mathews and Willie Stargell. 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 | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,391 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,537 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,509 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,315 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | 354 | Leads: 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 475 |
| RBI | 1,453 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,444 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,487 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 68 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .271 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .885 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews edges Willie Stargell 45,555 to 42,804 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 2,038 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Willie Stargell'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
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Mathews leads in hits, home runs, runs, and stolen bases, while Willie Stargell owns RBI, batting average, and OPS. 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 Willie Stargell careers compare
The careers of Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) overlapped from 1962 to 1968, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,391 games against 2,360 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444); Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). In slugging percentage, Willie Stargell holds the edge, .529 to .509. Willie Stargell owns the better peak by OPS: 1.033 OPS in 1953 for Eddie Mathews against 1.038 OPS in 1973 for Willie Stargell.
Eddie Mathews vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Mathews or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Mathews leads Willie Stargell in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Eddie Mathews or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Willie Stargell's 475.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Eddie Mathews's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Eddie Mathews, with 2,315 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.