Reggie Jackson vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Reggie Jackson 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). Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 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
Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 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 Reggie Jackson's 563.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mark McGwire, with .263 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Reggie Jackson's 41,801.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Mark McGwire's 1.
Reggie Jackson
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson 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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Reggie Jackson | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,820 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,864 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,584 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 463 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 563 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,702 | 1,414 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,375 | 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,597 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .263 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .490 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .846 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire edges Reggie Jackson 44,531 to 41,801 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,991 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Reggie Jackson's 21. 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).
Reggie Jackson — 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, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Reggie Jackson owns hits, RBI, and runs. 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 Reggie Jackson and Mark McGwire careers compare
Reggie Jackson and Mark McGwire were active at the same time between 1986 and 1987. Reggie Jackson has the far longer record, 2,820 games against 1,874 across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375); 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. Reggie Jackson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Best seasons: 1969 for Reggie Jackson (1.018 OPS, 47 HR, 118 RBI, .275 avg) and 1998 for Mark McGwire (1.222 OPS, 70 HR, 147 RBI, .299 avg).
Reggie Jackson vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Reggie Jackson leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Reggie Jackson's 563.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mark McGwire, with .263 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Reggie Jackson, with 2,584 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.