Vladimir Guerrero vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Mark McGwire 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). Vladimir Guerrero has played 2019–present 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 (2019–present) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Vladimir Guerrero has 1,218 hits and 192 home runs through October 12, 2026; 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 192.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Vladimir Guerrero's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average? Vladimir Guerrero, with .285 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Vladimir Guerrero's 1,218.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Vladimir Guerrero's 648.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Vladimir Guerrero's 14,982.
- 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 2010s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Vladimir Guerrero is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Vladimir Guerrero | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,119 | Leads: 1,874 |
| At-Bats | 4,276 | Leads: 6,187 |
| Runs | 643 | Leads: 1,167 |
| Hits | 1,218 | Leads: 1,626 |
| Doubles | 236 | Leads: 252 |
| Triples | 6 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 192 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 648 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 486 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 726 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 33 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .361 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .478 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .839 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Vladimir Guerrero 44,531 to 14,982 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,620 PIV per season to 2,140, across 17 seasons to 7. 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, Mark McGwire leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Vladimir Guerrero owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mark McGwire. PIV agrees: Mark McGwire grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Vladimir Guerrero and Mark McGwire careers compare
No season is shared: Mark McGwire played 1986–2001, Vladimir Guerrero 2019–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Vladimir Guerrero has appeared in 1,119 games to Mark McGwire's 1,874. The green cells for Vladimir Guerrero are stolen bases (33 to 12) and batting average (.285 to .263). Vladimir Guerrero struck out more than walked (726 to 486); 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. Best seasons: 2021 for Vladimir Guerrero (1.002 OPS, 48 HR, 111 RBI, .311 avg) and 1998 for Mark McGwire (1.222 OPS, 70 HR, 147 RBI, .299 avg). Because Vladimir Guerrero is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Vladimir Guerrero vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vladimir Guerrero or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark McGwire leads Vladimir Guerrero in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Vladimir Guerrero or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Vladimir Guerrero's 192.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Vladimir Guerrero's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Vladimir Guerrero, with .285 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Vladimir Guerrero's 1,218.