Willie McCovey vs Fred McGriff: Career Stats Comparison
Willie McCovey and Fred McGriff are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 as a hitter; Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 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
Willie McCovey (1959–1980) and Fred McGriff (1986–2004) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 home runs; Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie McCovey, with 521 to Fred McGriff's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie McCovey, with .889 to Fred McGriff's .886.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred McGriff, with .284 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Fred McGriff's 1,550.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Fred McGriff's 37,233.
- Who won more championships? Fred McGriff, with 1 World Series title to Willie McCovey's 0.
Willie McCovey
Fred McGriff
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie McCovey and Fred McGriff. 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 | Willie McCovey | Fred McGriff |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,588 | 2,460 |
| At-Bats | 8,197 | Leads: 8,757 |
| Runs | 1,229 | Leads: 1,349 |
| Hits | 2,211 | Leads: 2,490 |
| Doubles | 353 | Leads: 441 |
| Triples | Leads: 46 | 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 521 | 493 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,555 | 1,550 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,345 | 1,305 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,550 | 1,882 |
| Stolen Bases | 26 | Leads: 72 |
| Batting Avg | .270 | Leads: .284 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .377 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .509 |
| OPS | Leads: .889 | .886 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey leads Fred McGriff 47,331 to 37,233 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,058 PIV per season to 1,773, across 23 seasons to 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).
Willie McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred McGriff leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Willie McCovey owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. Note that PIV actually grades Willie McCovey ahead, which means Fred McGriff's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie McCovey and Fred McGriff careers compare
No season is shared: Willie McCovey played 1959–1980, Fred McGriff 1986–2004. The two careers are close in length, 2,588 games for Willie McCovey and 2,460 for Fred McGriff across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345), and Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305). In slugging percentage, Willie McCovey holds the edge, .515 to .509. On the peak-season lists, Willie McCovey's best year is 1969 at 1.108 OPS and Fred McGriff's is 1994 at 1.012 OPS; Willie McCovey has the stronger single season.
Willie McCovey vs Fred McGriff: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Willie McCovey or Fred McGriff hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Fred McGriff's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie McCovey, with .889 to Fred McGriff's .886.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred McGriff, with .284 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.