Adrian Beltre vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Adrian Beltre 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). Adrian Beltre played 1998–2018 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
Adrian Beltre (1998–2018) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Adrian Beltre finished with 3,166 hits and 477 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 Adrian Beltre's 477.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Adrian Beltre's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Adrian Beltre, with .286 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Adrian Beltre, with 3,166 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Adrian Beltre, with 1,707 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Adrian Beltre's 22,100.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Adrian Beltre's 0.
Adrian Beltre
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Adrian Beltre 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 | Adrian Beltre | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,933 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,068 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,524 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,166 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 636 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 38 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 477 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,707 | 1,414 |
| Walks | 848 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,732 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 121 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .286 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .819 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Adrian Beltre 44,531 to 22,100 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,052 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Adrian Beltre's 21. 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).
Adrian Beltre — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Adrian Beltre 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 Adrian Beltre. Note that PIV actually grades Mark McGwire ahead, which means Adrian Beltre's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Adrian Beltre and Mark McGwire careers compare
The careers of Adrian Beltre (1998–2018) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) overlapped from 1998 to 2001, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Adrian Beltre appeared in 2,933 games to Mark McGwire's 1,874. At the plate, Adrian Beltre struck out more than walked (1,732 to 848), 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. Adrian Beltre was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Adrian Beltre vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Adrian Beltre or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Adrian Beltre leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Adrian Beltre or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Adrian Beltre's 477.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Adrian Beltre's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Adrian Beltre, with .286 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Adrian Beltre, with 3,166 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.