Roberto Alomar vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Alomar has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roberto Alomar played 1988–2004 as a hitter; Mark McGwire played 1986–2001 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
Roberto Alomar (1988–2004) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Roberto Alomar finished with 2,724 hits and 210 home runs; Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mark McGwire, with 583 to Roberto Alomar's 210.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Roberto Alomar's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Alomar, with .300 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Alomar, with 2,724 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Roberto Alomar's 1,134.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Roberto Alomar's 20,285.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Alomar, with 2 World Series titles to Mark McGwire's 1.
Roberto Alomar
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Alomar and Mark McGwire. 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 | Roberto Alomar | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,379 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,073 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,508 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,724 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 504 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 80 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 210 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 1,134 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 1,032 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,140 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 474 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .300 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .443 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Roberto Alomar 44,531 to 20,285 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,068 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Roberto Alomar's 19. 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).
Roberto Alomar — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Roberto Alomar owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mark McGwire. PIV agrees: Mark McGwire grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Alomar and Mark McGwire careers compare
From 1988 through 2001, Roberto Alomar and Mark McGwire were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,379 games for Roberto Alomar and 1,874 for Mark McGwire across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Roberto Alomar struck out more than walked (1,140 to 1,032), and Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Mark McGwire is the more power-leaning hitter, with 583 of 1,626 hits leaving the park. Roberto Alomar was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mark McGwire's on-base percentage of .394 tops Roberto Alomar's .371.
Roberto Alomar vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Alomar or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Alomar leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Alomar or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Roberto Alomar's 210.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Roberto Alomar's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Alomar, with .300 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Alomar, with 2,724 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.