Carlos Beltran vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Carlos Beltran has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Carlos Beltran played 1998–2017 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
Carlos Beltran (1998–2017) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Carlos Beltran finished with 2,725 hits and 435 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 Carlos Beltran's 435.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Carlos Beltran's .837.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlos Beltran, with .279 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Carlos Beltran, with 2,725 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlos Beltran, with 1,587 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Carlos Beltran's 23,622.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Carlos Beltran
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlos Beltran 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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carlos Beltran | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,586 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,768 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,582 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,725 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 565 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 78 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 435 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,587 | 1,414 |
| Walks | 1,084 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,795 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 312 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .486 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .837 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Carlos Beltran 44,531 to 23,622 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,027 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Carlos Beltran's 23. 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).
Carlos Beltran — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carlos Beltran leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mark McGwire owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carlos Beltran. Note that PIV actually grades Mark McGwire ahead, which means Carlos Beltran's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlos Beltran and Mark McGwire careers compare
From 1998 through 2001, Carlos Beltran and Mark McGwire were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,586 games for Carlos Beltran and 1,874 for Mark McGwire across 23 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Carlos Beltran struck out more than walked (1,795 to 1,084), and Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 435 of 2,725 for Carlos Beltran, 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire.
Carlos Beltran vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlos Beltran or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carlos Beltran leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlos Beltran or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Carlos Beltran's 435.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Carlos Beltran's .837.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlos Beltran, with .279 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Carlos Beltran, with 2,725 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.