Hank Greenberg vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 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
Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 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 Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Mark McGwire's .982.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Hank Greenberg, with 1,628 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Hank Greenberg's 43,523.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Mark McGwire's 1.
Hank Greenberg
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg 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 1930s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 1,874 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 6,187 |
| Runs | 1,051 | Leads: 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,628 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 379 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 852 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 58 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .263 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .394 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .588 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire edges Hank Greenberg 44,531 to 43,523 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Hank Greenberg's 13, while Hank Greenberg carries the higher per-season figure (3,348 to 2,620). 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).
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Greenberg leads in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Mark McGwire owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Greenberg. Note that PIV actually grades Mark McGwire ahead, which means Hank Greenberg's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Greenberg and Mark McGwire careers compare
No season is shared: Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947, Mark McGwire 1986–2001. With 1,394 games against 1,874 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), but Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 331 of 1,628 for Hank Greenberg, 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire. In slugging percentage, Hank Greenberg holds the edge, .605 to .588. Mark McGwire owns the better peak by OPS: 1.122 OPS in 1938 for Hank Greenberg against 1.222 OPS in 1998 for Mark McGwire.
Hank Greenberg vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Greenberg leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Mark McGwire's .982.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1,628 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.