Craig Biggio vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Biggio 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). Craig Biggio played 1988–2007 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
Craig Biggio (1988–2007) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Craig Biggio finished with 3,060 hits and 291 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 Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Craig Biggio, with .281 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Craig Biggio's 1,175.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Craig Biggio's 18,390.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Craig Biggio's 0.
Craig Biggio
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Craig Biggio 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 | Craig Biggio | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,850 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,876 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,844 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,060 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 668 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 55 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 291 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 1,175 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 1,160 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,753 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 414 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .281 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .433 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Craig Biggio 44,531 to 18,390 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 919 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Craig Biggio's 20. 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).
Craig Biggio — 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 Craig Biggio 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 Craig Biggio and Mark McGwire careers compare
Craig Biggio and Mark McGwire were active at the same time between 1988 and 2001. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Craig Biggio appeared in 2,850 games to Mark McGwire's 1,874. At the plate, Craig Biggio struck out more than walked (1,753 to 1,160), 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. Craig Biggio was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mark McGwire's slugging percentage of .588 tops Craig Biggio's .433.
Craig Biggio vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Craig Biggio or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Biggio leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Craig Biggio or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Craig Biggio, with .281 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.