Pete Alonso vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Mark McGwire has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Pete Alonso has played 2019–present 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
Pete Alonso (2019–present) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Pete Alonso has 1,112 hits and 307 home runs through October 12, 2026; 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 Pete Alonso's 307.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Pete Alonso's .861.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mark McGwire, with .263 to Pete Alonso's .255.
- Who had more hits? Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Pete Alonso's 1,112.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Pete Alonso's 825.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Pete Alonso's 13,899.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Pete Alonso's 0.
Pete Alonso
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Pete Alonso 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, and the 2010s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Pete Alonso is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Pete Alonso | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,168 | Leads: 1,874 |
| At-Bats | 4,365 | Leads: 6,187 |
| Runs | 680 | Leads: 1,167 |
| Hits | 1,112 | Leads: 1,626 |
| Doubles | 207 | Leads: 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 8 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 307 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 825 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 500 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,153 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 23 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | .255 | Leads: .263 |
| On-Base % | .344 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .517 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .861 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Pete Alonso 44,531 to 13,899 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,620 PIV per season to 1,986, across 17 seasons to 7. 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).
Pete Alonso — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Pete Alonso owns 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 Pete Alonso and Mark McGwire careers compare
No season is shared: Mark McGwire played 1986–2001, Pete Alonso 2019–present. The table compares 1,168 games of Pete Alonso with 1,874 of Mark McGwire across 7 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Pete Alonso comes out ahead, it is in triples (8 to 6) and stolen bases (23 to 12). Pete Alonso struck out more than walked (1,153 to 500); Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Mark McGwire owns the better peak by OPS: .941 OPS in 2019 for Pete Alonso against 1.222 OPS in 1998 for Mark McGwire. Pete Alonso's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Pete Alonso vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alonso or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark McGwire leads Pete Alonso in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Pete Alonso or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Pete Alonso's 307.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Pete Alonso's .861.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mark McGwire, with .263 to Pete Alonso's .255.
- Who had more hits?
- Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Pete Alonso's 1,112.