Cecil Fielder vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Mark McGwire has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cecil Fielder played 1985–1998 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
Cecil Fielder (1985–1998) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Cecil Fielder finished with 1,313 hits and 319 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 Cecil Fielder's 319.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Cecil Fielder's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mark McGwire, with .263 to Cecil Fielder's .255.
- Who had more hits? Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Cecil Fielder's 1,313.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Cecil Fielder's 1,008.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Cecil Fielder's 13,970.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Cecil Fielder
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cecil Fielder 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 | Cecil Fielder | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,470 | Leads: 1,874 |
| At-Bats | 5,157 | Leads: 6,187 |
| Runs | 744 | Leads: 1,167 |
| Hits | 1,313 | Leads: 1,626 |
| Doubles | 200 | Leads: 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 7 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 319 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 1,008 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 693 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,316 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | 2 | Leads: 12 |
| Batting Avg | .255 | Leads: .263 |
| On-Base % | .345 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .482 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .827 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Cecil Fielder 44,531 to 13,970 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,620 PIV per season to 931, across 17 seasons to 15. 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).
Cecil Fielder — 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 Cecil Fielder owns no headline categories. 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 Cecil Fielder and Mark McGwire careers compare
The careers of Cecil Fielder (1985–1998) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) overlapped from 1986 to 1998, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,470 games against 1,874 across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Cecil Fielder's edges on the table are triples (7 to 6). Cecil Fielder struck out more than walked (1,316 to 693); 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 Cecil Fielder's .482.
Cecil Fielder vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cecil Fielder or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark McGwire leads Cecil Fielder in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cecil Fielder or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Cecil Fielder's 319.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Cecil Fielder's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mark McGwire, with .263 to Cecil Fielder's .255.
- Who had more hits?
- Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Cecil Fielder's 1,313.