Johnny Mize vs Phil Rizzuto: Career Stats Comparison
Johnny Mize has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Johnny Mize played 1936–1953 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
Johnny Mize (1936–1953) and Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Johnny Mize finished with 2,011 hits and 359 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? Johnny Mize, with 359 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Mize, with .959 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average? Johnny Mize, with .312 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits? Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.
- Who drove in more runs? Johnny Mize, with 1,337 to Phil Rizzuto's 563.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Johnny Mize, with 43,061 career PIV to Phil Rizzuto's 662.
- Who won more championships? Phil Rizzuto, with 8 World Series titles to Johnny Mize's 5.
Johnny Mize
Phil Rizzuto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Johnny Mize 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 | Johnny Mize | Phil Rizzuto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,884 | 1,661 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,443 | 5,816 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,118 | 877 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,011 | 1,588 |
| Doubles | Leads: 367 | 239 |
| Triples | Leads: 83 | 62 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 359 | 38 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,337 | 563 |
| Walks | Leads: 856 | 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 524 | 398 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 149 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .312 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .397 | .351 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .562 | .355 |
| OPS | Leads: .959 | .706 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johnny Mize outpaces Phil Rizzuto 43,061 to 662 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,691 PIV per season to 51, across 16 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).
Johnny Mize — top 3 seasons by OPS
Phil Rizzuto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johnny Mize 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 Johnny Mize. PIV agrees: Johnny Mize grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Johnny Mize and Phil Rizzuto careers compare
Johnny Mize and Phil Rizzuto were active at the same time between 1941 and 1953. With 1,884 games against 1,661 across 16 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Phil Rizzuto comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (149 to 28). Johnny Mize walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 524 strikeouts); Phil Rizzuto walked more often than struck out (651 walks, 398 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Johnny Mize's hits: 359 of 2,011 for Johnny Mize, 38 of 1,588 for Phil Rizzuto.
Johnny Mize vs Phil Rizzuto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Johnny Mize or Phil Rizzuto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johnny Mize leads Phil Rizzuto in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Johnny Mize or Phil Rizzuto hit more home runs?
- Johnny Mize, with 359 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Mize, with .959 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Johnny Mize, with .312 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.