Andres Galarraga vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Andres Galarraga has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Andres Galarraga played 1985–2004 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
Andres Galarraga (1985–2004) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Andres Galarraga finished with 2,333 hits and 399 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 Andres Galarraga's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Andres Galarraga's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Andres Galarraga, with .288 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Andres Galarraga, with 2,333 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Andres Galarraga, with 1,425 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Andres Galarraga's 23,400.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Andres Galarraga's 0.
Andres Galarraga
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Andres Galarraga 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 | Andres Galarraga | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,257 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,096 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,195 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,333 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 444 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 32 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,425 | 1,414 |
| Walks | 583 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,003 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 128 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .347 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .499 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .846 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Andres Galarraga 44,531 to 23,400 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,170 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Andres Galarraga's 20. 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).
Andres Galarraga — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andres Galarraga leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mark McGwire owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andres Galarraga. Note that PIV actually grades Mark McGwire ahead, which means Andres Galarraga's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Andres Galarraga and Mark McGwire careers compare
The careers of Andres Galarraga (1985–2004) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) overlapped from 1986 to 2001, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,257 games against 1,874 across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Andres Galarraga struck out more than walked (2,003 to 583); Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 399 of 2,333 for Andres Galarraga, 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire. Andres Galarraga was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mark McGwire's slugging percentage of .588 tops Andres Galarraga's .499.
Andres Galarraga vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andres Galarraga or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andres Galarraga leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Andres Galarraga or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Andres Galarraga's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Andres Galarraga's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Andres Galarraga, with .288 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Andres Galarraga, with 2,333 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.