Don Mattingly vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Graig Nettles 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). Don Mattingly played 1982–1995 as a hitter; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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
Don Mattingly (1982–1995) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Don Mattingly finished with 2,153 hits and 222 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS? Don Mattingly, with .830 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Don Mattingly, with .307 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Don Mattingly's 1,099.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Don Mattingly, with 21,189 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Don Mattingly's 0.
Don Mattingly
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Don Mattingly and Graig Nettles. 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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Don Mattingly | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,785 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 7,003 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | 1,007 | Leads: 1,193 |
| Hits | 2,153 | Leads: 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 442 | 328 |
| Triples | 20 | Leads: 28 |
| Home Runs | 222 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | 1,099 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 444 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | 14 | Leads: 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .307 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .471 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Mattingly outpaces Graig Nettles 21,189 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,514 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Don Mattingly played 14 seasons to Graig Nettles's 22. 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).
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Graig Nettles leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Don Mattingly owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Graig Nettles. Note that PIV actually grades Don Mattingly ahead, which means Graig Nettles's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Mattingly and Graig Nettles careers compare
Don Mattingly and Graig Nettles were active at the same time between 1982 and 1988. The table compares 1,785 games of Don Mattingly with 2,700 of Graig Nettles across 14 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. At the plate, Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts), while Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Home runs make up a larger share of Graig Nettles's hits: 222 of 2,153 for Don Mattingly, 390 of 2,225 for Graig Nettles. In slugging percentage, Don Mattingly holds the edge, .471 to .421.
Don Mattingly vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Mattingly or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Graig Nettles leads Don Mattingly in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Don Mattingly or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Don Mattingly, with .830 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Don Mattingly, with .307 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.