Jimmie Foxx vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmie Foxx 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). Jimmie Foxx played 1925–1945 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
Jimmie Foxx (1925–1945) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jimmie Foxx finished with 2,646 hits and 534 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 Jimmie Foxx's 534.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Mark McGwire's .982.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Jimmie Foxx, with 2,646 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmie Foxx, with 1,922 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jimmie Foxx, with 72,872 career PIV to Mark McGwire's 44,531.
- Who won more championships? Jimmie Foxx, with 2 World Series titles to Mark McGwire's 1.
Jimmie Foxx
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmie Foxx 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 1920s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jimmie Foxx | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,317 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,134 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,751 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,646 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 458 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 125 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 534 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,922 | 1,414 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,452 | 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,311 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 87 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .263 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .428 | .394 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .609 | .588 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.038 | .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jimmie Foxx outpaces Mark McGwire 72,872 to 44,531 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,470 PIV per season to 2,620, across 21 seasons to 17. 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).
Jimmie Foxx — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmie Foxx leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mark McGwire owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jimmie Foxx. PIV agrees: Jimmie Foxx grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jimmie Foxx and Mark McGwire careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Jimmie Foxx's ended in 1945, and Mark McGwire debuted in 1986. The two careers are close in length, 2,317 games for Jimmie Foxx and 1,874 for Mark McGwire across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Mark McGwire comes out ahead, it is in home runs (583 to 534). At the plate, Jimmie Foxx walked more often than struck out (1,452 walks, 1,311 strikeouts), while 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. In slugging percentage, Jimmie Foxx holds the edge, .609 to .588.
Jimmie Foxx vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmie Foxx or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmie Foxx leads Mark McGwire in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jimmie Foxx or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Jimmie Foxx's 534.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 1.038 to Mark McGwire's .982.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmie Foxx, with .325 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Jimmie Foxx, with 2,646 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.