Alex Rodriguez vs Mike Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Alex Rodriguez 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). Alex Rodriguez played 1994–2016 as a hitter; Mike Schmidt played 1972–1989 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
Alex Rodriguez (1994–2016) and Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Alex Rodriguez finished with 3,115 hits and 696 home runs; Mike Schmidt finished with 2,234 hits and 548 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Mike Schmidt's 548.
- Who had the higher OPS? Alex Rodriguez, with .930 to Mike Schmidt's .908.
- Who had the higher batting average? Alex Rodriguez, with .295 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits? Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Mike Schmidt's 2,234.
- Who drove in more runs? Alex Rodriguez, with 2,086 to Mike Schmidt's 1,595.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Alex Rodriguez, with 54,389 career PIV to Mike Schmidt's 49,630.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Alex Rodriguez
Mike Schmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Alex Rodriguez and Mike Schmidt. 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 1990s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Alex Rodriguez | Mike Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,784 | 2,404 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,566 | 8,352 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,021 | 1,506 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,115 | 2,234 |
| Doubles | Leads: 548 | 408 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 59 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 696 | 548 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,086 | 1,595 |
| Walks | 1,338 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,287 | 1,883 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 329 | 174 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .267 |
| On-Base % | .380 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .550 | .527 |
| OPS | Leads: .930 | .908 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Alex Rodriguez leads Mike Schmidt 54,389 to 49,630 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Alex Rodriguez played 22 seasons to Mike Schmidt's 18, while Mike Schmidt carries the higher per-season figure (2,757 to 2,472). 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).
Alex Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mike Schmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Alex Rodriguez leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Mike Schmidt owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Alex Rodriguez. PIV agrees: Alex Rodriguez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Alex Rodriguez and Mike Schmidt careers compare
No season is shared: Mike Schmidt played 1972–1989, Alex Rodriguez 1994–2016. The two careers are close in length, 2,784 games for Alex Rodriguez and 2,404 for Mike Schmidt across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Mike Schmidt's edges on the table are triples (59 to 31), walks (1,507 to 1,338), and on-base percentage (.380 to .380). At the plate, Alex Rodriguez struck out more than walked (2,287 to 1,338), and Mike Schmidt struck out more than walked (1,883 to 1,507). On the bases, Alex Rodriguez stole more often per game played (329 steals in 2,784 games for Alex Rodriguez, 174 in 2,404 for Mike Schmidt).
Alex Rodriguez vs Mike Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Alex Rodriguez or Mike Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Alex Rodriguez leads Mike Schmidt in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Alex Rodriguez or Mike Schmidt hit more home runs?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 696 to Mike Schmidt's 548.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Alex Rodriguez, with .930 to Mike Schmidt's .908.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Alex Rodriguez, with .295 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Alex Rodriguez, with 3,115 to Mike Schmidt's 2,234.