Alvin Davis vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Mark McGwire has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Alvin Davis played 1984–1992 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
Alvin Davis (1984–1992) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Alvin Davis finished with 1,189 hits and 160 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 Alvin Davis's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Alvin Davis's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Alvin Davis, with .280 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Alvin Davis's 1,189.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Alvin Davis's 683.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Alvin Davis's 16,260.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Alvin Davis's 0.
Alvin Davis
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Alvin Davis 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 | Alvin Davis | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,206 | Leads: 1,874 |
| At-Bats | 4,240 | Leads: 6,187 |
| Runs | 568 | Leads: 1,167 |
| Hits | 1,189 | Leads: 1,626 |
| Doubles | 220 | Leads: 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 10 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 160 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 683 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 685 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 558 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | 7 | Leads: 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .280 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .380 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .450 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Alvin Davis 44,531 to 16,260 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,620 PIV per season to 1,807, across 17 seasons to 9. 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).
Alvin Davis — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Alvin Davis owns batting average. 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 Alvin Davis and Mark McGwire careers compare
Alvin Davis and Mark McGwire were active at the same time between 1986 and 1992. The table compares 1,206 games of Alvin Davis with 1,874 of Mark McGwire across 9 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Alvin Davis's edges on the table are triples (10 to 6) and batting average (.280 to .263). Plate discipline differs: Alvin Davis walked more often than struck out (685 walks, 558 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.
Alvin Davis vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Alvin Davis or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark McGwire leads Alvin Davis in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Alvin Davis or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Alvin Davis's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Alvin Davis's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Alvin Davis, with .280 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Alvin Davis's 1,189.