Barry Larkin vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Larkin 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). Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 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
Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 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 Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Larkin, with .295 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Barry Larkin
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 198 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 939 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Barry Larkin 44,531 to 17,788 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 936 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Barry Larkin'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).
Barry Larkin — 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, OBP, and OPS, while Barry Larkin owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Barry Larkin and Mark McGwire careers compare
Barry Larkin and Mark McGwire were active at the same time between 1986 and 2001. With 2,180 games against 1,874 across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 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: 198 of 2,340 for Barry Larkin, 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire. Barry Larkin was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Barry Larkin vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Larkin, with .295 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.