Harmon Killebrew vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Harmon Killebrew 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). Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 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
Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 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 Harmon Killebrew's 573.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mark McGwire, with .263 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Harmon Killebrew, with 2,086 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Mark McGwire's 44,531.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Harmon Killebrew
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew 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 1950s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harmon Killebrew | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,435 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,147 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,283 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,086 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 290 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 24 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 573 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,414 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,559 | 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 19 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .263 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .884 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew edges Mark McGwire 48,240 to 44,531 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harmon Killebrew played 22 seasons to Mark McGwire's 17, while Mark McGwire carries the higher per-season figure (2,620 to 2,193). 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).
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harmon Killebrew leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mark McGwire owns home runs, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harmon Killebrew. PIV agrees: Harmon Killebrew grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harmon Killebrew and Mark McGwire careers compare
No season is shared: Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975, Mark McGwire 1986–2001. The two careers are close in length, 2,435 games for Harmon Killebrew and 1,874 for Mark McGwire across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559); Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 573 of 2,086 for Harmon Killebrew, 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire. Mark McGwire's on-base percentage of .394 tops Harmon Killebrew's .376.
Harmon Killebrew vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harmon Killebrew or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harmon Killebrew leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Harmon Killebrew's 573.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mark McGwire, with .263 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 2,086 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.