Don Mattingly vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; 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
Don Mattingly (1982–1995) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — 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; 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? Ted Simmons, with 248 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS? Don Mattingly, with .830 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Don Mattingly, with .307 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Don Mattingly's 1,099.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Don Mattingly, with 21,189 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
Don Mattingly
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Don Mattingly 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 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 | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,785 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 7,003 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 1,007 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,153 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 442 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 20 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | 222 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 1,099 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 444 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | 14 | Leads: 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .307 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .471 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Mattingly edges Ted Simmons 21,189 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,514 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Don Mattingly played 14 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).
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Simmons 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 Ted Simmons. Note that PIV actually grades Don Mattingly ahead, which means Ted Simmons's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Mattingly and Ted Simmons careers compare
From 1982 through 1988, Don Mattingly and Ted Simmons were in the majors together. With 1,785 games against 2,456 across 14 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Don Mattingly's edges on the table are batting average (.307 to .285), on-base percentage (.358 to .348), and slugging percentage (.471 to .437). At the plate, Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts), and Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). On the peak-season lists, Don Mattingly's best year is 1986 at .967 OPS and Ted Simmons's is 1977 at .908 OPS; Don Mattingly has the stronger single season.
Don Mattingly vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Mattingly or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Don Mattingly in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Don Mattingly or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Don Mattingly, with .830 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Don Mattingly, with .307 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Don Mattingly's 2,153.