George Brett vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
George Brett 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). George Brett played 1973–1993 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
George Brett (1973–1993) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 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 George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Brett, with .305 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? George Brett, with 3,154 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? George Brett, with 1,596 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to George Brett's 41,511.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
George Brett
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett 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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Brett | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,707 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,349 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,583 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,154 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 137 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 317 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,596 | 1,414 |
| Walks | 1,096 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 201 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .487 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .857 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire edges George Brett 44,531 to 41,511 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,977 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to George Brett'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).
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Brett 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 George Brett. Note that PIV actually grades Mark McGwire ahead, which means George Brett's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Brett and Mark McGwire careers compare
From 1986 through 1993, George Brett and Mark McGwire were in the majors together. With 2,707 games against 1,874 across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts), but 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. On the bases, George Brett stole more often per game played (201 steals in 2,707 games for George Brett, 12 in 1,874 for Mark McGwire). In slugging percentage, Mark McGwire holds the edge, .588 to .487.
George Brett vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Brett or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Brett leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Brett or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Brett, with .305 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- George Brett, with 3,154 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.