Nomar Garciaparra vs Fred McGriff: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nomar Garciaparra played 1996–2009 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
Nomar Garciaparra (1996–2009) and Fred McGriff (1986–2004) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nomar Garciaparra finished with 1,747 hits and 229 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 Nomar Garciaparra's 229.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Nomar Garciaparra's .882.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Nomar Garciaparra's 936.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Nomar Garciaparra's 17,414.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Nomar Garciaparra
Fred McGriff
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nomar Garciaparra 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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nomar Garciaparra | Fred McGriff |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,434 | Leads: 2,460 |
| At-Bats | 5,586 | Leads: 8,757 |
| Runs | 927 | Leads: 1,349 |
| Hits | 1,747 | Leads: 2,490 |
| Doubles | 370 | Leads: 441 |
| Triples | Leads: 52 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 229 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 936 | Leads: 1,550 |
| Walks | 403 | Leads: 1,305 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 554 | 1,882 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 95 | 72 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .284 |
| On-Base % | .361 | Leads: .377 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .521 | .509 |
| OPS | .882 | Leads: .886 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff outpaces Nomar Garciaparra 37,233 to 17,414 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,773 PIV per season to 1,161, across 21 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).
Nomar Garciaparra — 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 Nomar Garciaparra owns stolen bases and batting average. 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 Nomar Garciaparra and Fred McGriff careers compare
From 1996 through 2004, Nomar Garciaparra and Fred McGriff were in the majors together. Fred McGriff has the far longer record, 2,460 games against 1,434 across 15 and 21 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Nomar Garciaparra's edges on the table are triples (52 to 24), stolen bases (95 to 72), and batting average (.313 to .284). At the plate, Nomar Garciaparra struck out more than walked (554 to 403), and Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305). Fred McGriff is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,490 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Nomar Garciaparra holds the edge, .521 to .509.
Nomar Garciaparra vs Fred McGriff: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nomar Garciaparra or Fred McGriff?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Nomar Garciaparra in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nomar Garciaparra or Fred McGriff hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Nomar Garciaparra's 229.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Nomar Garciaparra's .882.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.