Joe Medwick vs Phil Rizzuto: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Medwick 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). Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 as a hitter; Phil Rizzuto played 1941–1956 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
Joe Medwick (1932–1948) and Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs; Phil Rizzuto finished with 1,588 hits and 38 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe Medwick, with 205 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Medwick, with .867 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits? Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Phil Rizzuto's 563.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Medwick, with 28,897 career PIV to Phil Rizzuto's 662.
- Who won more championships? Phil Rizzuto, with 8 World Series titles to Joe Medwick's 1.
Joe Medwick
Phil Rizzuto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Medwick and Phil Rizzuto. 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 1930s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe Medwick | Phil Rizzuto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,984 | 1,661 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,635 | 5,816 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,198 | 877 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,471 | 1,588 |
| Doubles | Leads: 540 | 239 |
| Triples | Leads: 113 | 62 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 205 | 38 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,383 | 563 |
| Walks | 437 | Leads: 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 551 | 398 |
| Stolen Bases | 42 | Leads: 149 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .324 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .362 | .351 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .355 |
| OPS | Leads: .867 | .706 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Medwick outpaces Phil Rizzuto 28,897 to 662 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,445 PIV per season to 51, across 20 seasons to 13. 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).
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Phil Rizzuto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Medwick leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Phil Rizzuto owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Medwick. PIV agrees: Joe Medwick grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Medwick and Phil Rizzuto careers compare
Joe Medwick and Phil Rizzuto were active at the same time between 1941 and 1948. The two careers are close in length, 1,984 games for Joe Medwick and 1,661 for Phil Rizzuto across 20 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Phil Rizzuto comes out ahead, it is in walks (651 to 437) and stolen bases (149 to 42). At the plate, Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437), while Phil Rizzuto walked more often than struck out (651 walks, 398 strikeouts). Joe Medwick is the more power-leaning hitter, with 205 of 2,471 hits leaving the park.
Joe Medwick vs Phil Rizzuto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Medwick or Phil Rizzuto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Medwick leads Phil Rizzuto in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Medwick or Phil Rizzuto hit more home runs?
- Joe Medwick, with 205 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Medwick, with .867 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.