Vladimir Guerrero vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Vladimir Guerrero 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). Vladimir Guerrero played 1996–2011 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
Vladimir Guerrero (1996–2011) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Vladimir Guerrero finished with 2,590 hits and 449 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 Vladimir Guerrero's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Vladimir Guerrero's .931.
- Who had the higher batting average? Vladimir Guerrero, with .318 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Vladimir Guerrero, with 2,590 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Vladimir Guerrero, with 1,496 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Vladimir Guerrero's 39,843.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Vladimir Guerrero's 0.
Vladimir Guerrero
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Vladimir Guerrero 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 | Vladimir Guerrero | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,147 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,155 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,328 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,590 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 477 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 46 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 449 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,496 | 1,414 |
| Walks | 737 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 985 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 181 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .318 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .379 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .553 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .931 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire leads Vladimir Guerrero 44,531 to 39,843 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,620 PIV per season to 2,490, across 17 seasons to 16. 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).
Vladimir Guerrero — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Vladimir Guerrero 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 Vladimir Guerrero. Note that PIV actually grades Mark McGwire ahead, which means Vladimir Guerrero's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Vladimir Guerrero and Mark McGwire careers compare
From 1996 through 2001, Vladimir Guerrero and Mark McGwire were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,147 games for Vladimir Guerrero and 1,874 for Mark McGwire across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Vladimir Guerrero struck out more than walked (985 to 737), 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. On the bases, Vladimir Guerrero stole more often per game played (181 steals in 2,147 games for Vladimir Guerrero, 12 in 1,874 for Mark McGwire).
Vladimir Guerrero vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vladimir Guerrero or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Vladimir Guerrero leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Vladimir Guerrero or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Vladimir Guerrero's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Vladimir Guerrero's .931.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Vladimir Guerrero, with .318 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Vladimir Guerrero, with 2,590 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.