Cal Ripken vs Phil Rizzuto: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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
Cal Ripken (1981–2001) and Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 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? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS? Cal Ripken, with .788 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average? Cal Ripken, with .276 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Phil Rizzuto's 563.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cal Ripken, with 19,199 career PIV to Phil Rizzuto's 662.
- Who won more championships? Phil Rizzuto, with 8 World Series titles to Cal Ripken's 1.
Cal Ripken
Phil Rizzuto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cal Ripken 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 1980s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cal Ripken | Phil Rizzuto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,001 | 1,661 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,551 | 5,816 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,647 | 877 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,184 | 1,588 |
| Doubles | Leads: 603 | 239 |
| Triples | 44 | Leads: 62 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 431 | 38 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,695 | 563 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,129 | 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,305 | 398 |
| Stolen Bases | 36 | Leads: 149 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .276 | .273 |
| On-Base % | .340 | Leads: .351 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .447 | .355 |
| OPS | Leads: .788 | .706 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cal Ripken outpaces Phil Rizzuto 19,199 to 662 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 914 PIV per season to 51, across 21 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).
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Phil Rizzuto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cal Ripken leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Phil Rizzuto owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cal Ripken. PIV agrees: Cal Ripken grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cal Ripken and Phil Rizzuto careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Phil Rizzuto's ended in 1956, and Cal Ripken debuted in 1981. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Cal Ripken appeared in 3,001 games to Phil Rizzuto's 1,661. Where Phil Rizzuto comes out ahead, it is in triples (62 to 44), stolen bases (149 to 36), and on-base percentage (.351 to .340). Plate discipline differs: Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129), but Phil Rizzuto walked more often than struck out (651 walks, 398 strikeouts). Cal Ripken is the more power-leaning hitter, with 431 of 3,184 hits leaving the park.
Cal Ripken vs Phil Rizzuto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cal Ripken or Phil Rizzuto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Phil Rizzuto in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cal Ripken or Phil Rizzuto hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Cal Ripken, with .788 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Cal Ripken, with .276 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.