Willie Mays vs Jackie Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Willie Mays played 1951–1973 as a hitter; Jackie Robinson played 1947–1956 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
Willie Mays (1951–1973) and Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs; Jackie Robinson finished with 1,568 hits and 141 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Mays, with .940 to Jackie Robinson's .887.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Jackie Robinson's 764.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Jackie Robinson's 25,382.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Willie Mays
Jackie Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Willie Mays | Jackie Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,005 | 1,418 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,924 | 5,006 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,068 | 974 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,293 | 1,568 |
| Doubles | Leads: 525 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 660 | 141 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,909 | 764 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,468 | 756 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,526 | 291 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 339 | 203 |
| Batting Avg | .301 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .384 | Leads: .410 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .557 | .477 |
| OPS | Leads: .940 | .887 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays outpaces Jackie Robinson 74,062 to 25,382 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,086 PIV per season to 2,307, across 24 seasons to 11. 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).
Willie Mays — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Mays leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jackie Robinson owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Mays. PIV agrees: Willie Mays grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson careers compare
From 1951 through 1956, Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson were in the majors together. Willie Mays has the far longer record, 3,005 games against 1,418 across 24 and 11 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Jackie Robinson comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.313 to .301) and on-base percentage (.410 to .384). Plate discipline differs: Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468), but Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts). Willie Mays is the more power-leaning hitter, with 660 of 3,293 hits leaving the park.
Willie Mays vs Jackie Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Mays or Jackie Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Jackie Robinson in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie Mays or Jackie Robinson hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Mays, with .940 to Jackie Robinson's .887.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Willie Mays's .301.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.