Carlton Fisk vs Fred McGriff: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 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 Fred McGriff (1986–2004) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Carlton Fisk finished with 2,356 hits and 376 home runs; Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Fred McGriff, with 493 to Carlton Fisk's 376.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred McGriff, with .284 to Carlton Fisk's .269.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Carlton Fisk's 2,356.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Carlton Fisk's 1,330.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Carlton Fisk's 21,513.
- Who won more championships? Fred McGriff, with 1 World Series title to Carlton Fisk's 0.
Carlton Fisk
Fred McGriff
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlton Fisk and Fred McGriff. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carlton Fisk | Fred McGriff |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,499 | 2,460 |
| At-Bats | 8,756 | Leads: 8,757 |
| Runs | 1,276 | Leads: 1,349 |
| Hits | 2,356 | Leads: 2,490 |
| Doubles | 421 | Leads: 441 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 376 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,330 | Leads: 1,550 |
| Walks | 849 | Leads: 1,305 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,386 | 1,882 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 128 | 72 |
| Batting Avg | .269 | Leads: .284 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .377 |
| Slugging % | .457 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .797 | Leads: .886 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff outpaces Carlton Fisk 37,233 to 21,513 — driven by per-season impact — 1,773 PIV per season to 896 — rather than by longevity, since Fred McGriff played 21 seasons to Carlton Fisk's 24. 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
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred McGriff leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Carlton Fisk owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. PIV agrees: Fred McGriff 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 Fred McGriff careers compare
From 1986 through 1993, Carlton Fisk and Fred McGriff were in the majors together. With 2,499 games against 2,460 across 24 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Carlton Fisk's edges on the table are games (2,499 to 2,460), triples (47 to 24), and stolen bases (128 to 72). At the plate, Carlton Fisk struck out more than walked (1,386 to 849), and Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305). On the bases, Carlton Fisk stole more often per game played (128 steals in 2,499 games for Carlton Fisk, 72 in 2,460 for Fred McGriff). Fred McGriff's slugging percentage of .509 tops Carlton Fisk's .457.
Carlton Fisk vs Fred McGriff: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlton Fisk or Fred McGriff?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Carlton Fisk in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlton Fisk or Fred McGriff hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Carlton Fisk's 376.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred McGriff, with .284 to Carlton Fisk's .269.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Carlton Fisk's 2,356.