Keith Hernandez vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Keith Hernandez and Mark McGwire are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Keith Hernandez played 1974–1990 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
Keith Hernandez (1974–1990) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Keith Hernandez finished with 2,182 hits and 162 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 Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Keith Hernandez's 1,071.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Keith Hernandez's 25,249.
- Who won more championships? Keith Hernandez, with 2 World Series titles to Mark McGwire's 1.
Keith Hernandez
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Keith Hernandez 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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Keith Hernandez | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,088 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,370 | 6,187 |
| Runs | 1,124 | Leads: 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,182 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 426 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 60 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 162 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 1,071 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 1,070 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 98 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .384 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .436 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .821 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Keith Hernandez 44,531 to 25,249 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,403 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Keith Hernandez's 18. 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).
Keith Hernandez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Keith Hernandez owns hits, 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 Keith Hernandez and Mark McGwire careers compare
Keith Hernandez and Mark McGwire were active at the same time between 1986 and 1990. The two careers are close in length, 2,088 games for Keith Hernandez and 1,874 for Mark McGwire across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Keith Hernandez walked more often than struck out (1,070 walks, 1,012 strikeouts), while Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 162 of 2,182 for Keith Hernandez, 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire. In slugging percentage, Mark McGwire holds the edge, .588 to .436.
Keith Hernandez vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Keith Hernandez or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.