Carlton Fisk vs Brian McCann: Career Stats Comparison
Carlton Fisk has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Carlton Fisk played 1969–1993 as a hitter; Brian McCann played 2005–2019 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
Carlton Fisk (1969–1993) and Brian McCann (2005–2019) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Carlton Fisk finished with 2,356 hits and 376 home runs; Brian McCann finished with 1,590 hits and 282 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carlton Fisk, with 376 to Brian McCann's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carlton Fisk, with .797 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlton Fisk, with .269 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits? Carlton Fisk, with 2,356 to Brian McCann's 1,590.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlton Fisk, with 1,330 to Brian McCann's 1,018.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carlton Fisk, with 21,513 career PIV to Brian McCann's 9,133.
- Who won more championships? Brian McCann, with 1 World Series title to Carlton Fisk's 0.
Carlton Fisk
Brian McCann
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlton Fisk and Brian McCann. 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 1960s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carlton Fisk | Brian McCann |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,499 | 1,755 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,756 | 6,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,276 | 742 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,356 | 1,590 |
| Doubles | Leads: 421 | 294 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 5 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 376 | 282 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,330 | 1,018 |
| Walks | Leads: 849 | 640 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,386 | 1,054 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 128 | 25 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .269 | .262 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .341 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .457 | .452 |
| OPS | Leads: .797 | .789 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carlton Fisk outpaces Brian McCann 21,513 to 9,133 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 896 PIV per season to 609, across 24 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).
Carlton Fisk — top 3 seasons by OPS
Brian McCann — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carlton Fisk leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Brian McCann owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carlton Fisk. PIV agrees: Carlton Fisk grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlton Fisk and Brian McCann careers compare
No season is shared: Carlton Fisk played 1969–1993, Brian McCann 2005–2019. With 2,499 games against 1,755 across 24 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Carlton Fisk leads every scored row of the table. Carlton Fisk struck out more than walked (1,386 to 849); Brian McCann struck out more than walked (1,054 to 640). Carlton Fisk was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Carlton Fisk's slugging percentage of .457 tops Brian McCann's .452. Brian McCann owns the better peak by OPS: .922 OPS in 1977 for Carlton Fisk against .961 OPS in 2006 for Brian McCann.
Carlton Fisk vs Brian McCann: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlton Fisk or Brian McCann?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carlton Fisk leads Brian McCann in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlton Fisk or Brian McCann hit more home runs?
- Carlton Fisk, with 376 to Brian McCann's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carlton Fisk, with .797 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlton Fisk, with .269 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Carlton Fisk, with 2,356 to Brian McCann's 1,590.