Miguel Cabrera vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera 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). Miguel Cabrera played 2003–2023 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
Miguel Cabrera (2003–2023) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 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 Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Mark McGwire's 44,531.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Miguel Cabrera
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera 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 2000s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Miguel Cabrera | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,797 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,356 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 17 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 511 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 1,414 |
| Walks | 1,258 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,105 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 40 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .382 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .518 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .901 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera leads Mark McGwire 49,680 to 44,531 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Miguel Cabrera played 21 seasons to Mark McGwire's 17, while Mark McGwire carries the higher per-season figure (2,620 to 2,366). 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).
Miguel Cabrera — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera 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 Miguel Cabrera. PIV agrees: Miguel Cabrera grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Miguel Cabrera and Mark McGwire careers compare
No season is shared: Mark McGwire played 1986–2001, Miguel Cabrera 2003–2023. The two careers are close in length, 2,797 games for Miguel Cabrera and 1,874 for Mark McGwire across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258), 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. Mark McGwire's slugging percentage of .588 tops Miguel Cabrera's .518.
Miguel Cabrera vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Miguel Cabrera or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Miguel Cabrera leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.