Don Mattingly 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). Don Mattingly played 1982–1995 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
Don Mattingly (1982–1995) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Don Mattingly finished with 2,153 hits and 222 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 Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Don Mattingly's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Don Mattingly, with .307 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Don Mattingly, with 2,153 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Don Mattingly's 1,099.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Don Mattingly's 21,189.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Don Mattingly's 0.
Don Mattingly
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Don Mattingly 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 | Don Mattingly | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,785 | Leads: 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,003 | 6,187 |
| Runs | 1,007 | Leads: 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,153 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 442 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 20 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 222 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 1,099 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 444 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 14 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .307 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .471 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Don Mattingly 44,531 to 21,189 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,620 PIV per season to 1,514, across 17 seasons to 14. 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).
Don Mattingly — 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 Don Mattingly 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 Don Mattingly and Mark McGwire careers compare
From 1986 through 1995, Don Mattingly and Mark McGwire were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,785 games for Don Mattingly and 1,874 for Mark McGwire across 14 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts), but Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 222 of 2,153 for Don Mattingly, 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire. In slugging percentage, Mark McGwire holds the edge, .588 to .471.
Don Mattingly vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Mattingly or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark McGwire leads Don Mattingly in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Don Mattingly or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Don Mattingly's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Don Mattingly, with .307 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Don Mattingly, with 2,153 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.