Jason Giambi vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Jason Giambi 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). Jason Giambi played 1995–2014 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
Jason Giambi (1995–2014) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jason Giambi finished with 2,010 hits and 440 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 Jason Giambi's 440.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Jason Giambi's .916.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jason Giambi, with .277 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Jason Giambi, with 2,010 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Jason Giambi, with 1,441 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Jason Giambi's 37,008.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Jason Giambi's 0.
Jason Giambi
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jason Giambi 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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jason Giambi | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,260 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,267 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,227 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,010 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 405 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 9 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 440 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,441 | 1,414 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,366 | 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,572 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 20 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .277 | .263 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .399 | .394 |
| Slugging % | .516 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .916 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire leads Jason Giambi 44,531 to 37,008 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,762 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Jason Giambi's 21. 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).
Jason Giambi — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jason Giambi leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mark McGwire owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jason Giambi. Note that PIV actually grades Mark McGwire ahead, which means Jason Giambi's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jason Giambi and Mark McGwire careers compare
From 1995 through 2001, Jason Giambi and Mark McGwire were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,260 games for Jason Giambi 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 440), slugging percentage (.588 to .516), and OPS (.982 to .916). At the plate, Jason Giambi struck out more than walked (1,572 to 1,366), and 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.
Jason Giambi vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jason Giambi or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jason Giambi leads Mark McGwire in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jason Giambi or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Jason Giambi's 440.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Jason Giambi's .916.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jason Giambi, with .277 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Jason Giambi, with 2,010 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.