Phil Rizzuto vs Jackie Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Jackie Robinson 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). Phil Rizzuto played 1941–1956 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
Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) and Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) — both broke in during the 1940s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Phil Rizzuto finished with 1,588 hits and 38 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? Jackie Robinson, with 141 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits? Phil Rizzuto, with 1,588 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.
- Who drove in more runs? Jackie Robinson, with 764 to Phil Rizzuto's 563.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jackie Robinson, with 25,382 career PIV to Phil Rizzuto's 662.
- Who won more championships? Phil Rizzuto, with 8 World Series titles to Jackie Robinson's 1.
Phil Rizzuto
Jackie Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Phil Rizzuto 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Phil Rizzuto | Jackie Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,661 | 1,418 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,816 | 5,006 |
| Runs | 877 | Leads: 974 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,588 | 1,568 |
| Doubles | 239 | Leads: 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 62 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 38 | Leads: 141 |
| RBI | 563 | Leads: 764 |
| Walks | 651 | Leads: 756 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 398 | 291 |
| Stolen Bases | 149 | Leads: 203 |
| Batting Avg | .273 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .351 | Leads: .410 |
| Slugging % | .355 | Leads: .477 |
| OPS | .706 | Leads: .887 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jackie Robinson outpaces Phil Rizzuto 25,382 to 662 — driven by per-season impact — 2,307 PIV per season to 51 — rather than by longevity, since Jackie Robinson played 11 seasons to Phil Rizzuto's 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).
Phil Rizzuto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jackie Robinson leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Phil Rizzuto owns hits. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jackie Robinson. PIV agrees: Jackie Robinson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Phil Rizzuto and Jackie Robinson careers compare
The careers of Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) and Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) overlapped from 1947 to 1956, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,661 games for Phil Rizzuto and 1,418 for Jackie Robinson across 13 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Phil Rizzuto are games (1,661 to 1,418), at-bats (5,816 to 5,006), and hits (1,588 to 1,568). At the plate, Phil Rizzuto walked more often than struck out (651 walks, 398 strikeouts), and Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts).
Phil Rizzuto vs Jackie Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Phil Rizzuto or Jackie Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jackie Robinson leads Phil Rizzuto in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Phil Rizzuto or Jackie Robinson hit more home runs?
- Jackie Robinson, with 141 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Phil Rizzuto, with 1,588 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.