Paul Goldschmidt 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). Paul Goldschmidt has played 2011–present 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
Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) and Fred McGriff (1986–2004) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul Goldschmidt has 2,277 hits and 390 home runs through October 12, 2026; 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 Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Goldschmidt, with .286 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Paul Goldschmidt's 1,284.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Paul Goldschmidt's 35,401.
- Who won more championships? Fred McGriff, with 1 World Series title to Paul Goldschmidt's 0.
Paul Goldschmidt
Fred McGriff
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Goldschmidt 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 2010s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Goldschmidt is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Paul Goldschmidt | Fred McGriff |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,179 | Leads: 2,460 |
| At-Bats | 7,953 | Leads: 8,757 |
| Runs | 1,324 | Leads: 1,349 |
| Hits | 2,277 | Leads: 2,490 |
| Doubles | Leads: 490 | 441 |
| Triples | Leads: 25 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 390 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,284 | Leads: 1,550 |
| Walks | 1,115 | Leads: 1,305 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,065 | 1,882 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 175 | 72 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .286 | .284 |
| On-Base % | .375 | Leads: .377 |
| Slugging % | .501 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .877 | Leads: .886 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff edges Paul Goldschmidt 37,233 to 35,401 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Fred McGriff played 21 seasons to Paul Goldschmidt's 15, while Paul Goldschmidt carries the higher per-season figure (2,360 to 1,773). 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).
Paul Goldschmidt — 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 Paul Goldschmidt 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 Paul Goldschmidt and Fred McGriff careers compare
Fred McGriff (1986–2004) was finished before Paul Goldschmidt (2011–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,179 games against 2,460 across 15 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Paul Goldschmidt are doubles (490 to 441), triples (25 to 24), and stolen bases (175 to 72). At the plate, Paul Goldschmidt struck out more than walked (2,065 to 1,115), and Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305). On the bases, Paul Goldschmidt stole more often per game played (175 steals in 2,179 games for Paul Goldschmidt, 72 in 2,460 for Fred McGriff). Fred McGriff's slugging percentage of .509 tops Paul Goldschmidt's .501. Because Paul Goldschmidt is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Paul Goldschmidt vs Fred McGriff: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Goldschmidt or Fred McGriff?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Paul Goldschmidt in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Goldschmidt or Fred McGriff hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Paul Goldschmidt's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Paul Goldschmidt's .877.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Goldschmidt, with .286 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Paul Goldschmidt's 2,277.