Willie McCovey vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Willie McCovey has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 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
Willie McCovey (1959–1980) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — 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; 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 Willie McCovey's 521.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Willie McCovey's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie McCovey, with .270 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Willie McCovey, with 2,211 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Mark McGwire's 44,531.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Willie McCovey's 0.
Willie McCovey
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie McCovey 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 | Willie McCovey | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,588 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,197 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,229 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,211 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 353 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 46 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 521 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,555 | 1,414 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,345 | 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,550 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 26 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .270 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .515 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .889 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey edges Mark McGwire 47,331 to 44,531 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie McCovey played 23 seasons to Mark McGwire's 17, while Mark McGwire carries the higher per-season figure (2,620 to 2,058). 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
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie McCovey leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mark McGwire owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie McCovey. PIV agrees: Willie McCovey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie McCovey and Mark McGwire careers compare
Willie McCovey (1959–1980) was finished before Mark McGwire (1986–2001) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,588 games against 1,874 across 23 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Mark McGwire are home runs (583 to 521), on-base percentage (.394 to .374), and slugging percentage (.588 to .515). At the plate, Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345), 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 Willie McCovey's .515.
Willie McCovey vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie McCovey or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie McCovey leads Mark McGwire in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie McCovey or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Willie McCovey's 521.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Willie McCovey's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie McCovey, with .270 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie McCovey, with 2,211 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.