Paul Konerko vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Mark McGwire has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Paul Konerko played 1997–2014 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
Paul Konerko (1997–2014) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul Konerko finished with 2,340 hits and 439 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 Paul Konerko's 439.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Paul Konerko's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Konerko, with .279 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Paul Konerko, with 2,340 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Paul Konerko's 1,412.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Paul Konerko's 22,710.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Paul Konerko
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Konerko 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 | Paul Konerko | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,349 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,393 | 6,187 |
| Runs | 1,162 | Leads: 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 410 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 8 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 439 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 1,412 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 921 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,391 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | 9 | Leads: 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .354 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .486 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .841 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Paul Konerko 44,531 to 22,710 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,195 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Paul Konerko's 19. 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).
Paul Konerko — 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 stolen bases, while Paul Konerko owns hits 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 Paul Konerko and Mark McGwire careers compare
From 1997 through 2001, Paul Konerko and Mark McGwire were in the majors together. With 2,349 games against 1,874 across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Paul Konerko struck out more than walked (1,391 to 921), 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. Mark McGwire's slugging percentage of .588 tops Paul Konerko's .486. Mark McGwire owns the better peak by OPS: .977 OPS in 2010 for Paul Konerko against 1.222 OPS in 1998 for Mark McGwire.
Paul Konerko vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Konerko or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark McGwire leads Paul Konerko in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Konerko or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Paul Konerko's 439.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Paul Konerko's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Konerko, with .279 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Konerko, with 2,340 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.