Fred McGriff vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Fred McGriff 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
Fred McGriff (1986–2004) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — both debuted in the 1980s. Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 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 leads the career comparison? Fred McGriff, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Mark McGwire, with 583 to Fred McGriff's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Fred McGriff's .886.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred McGriff, with .284 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Fred McGriff's 37,233.
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred McGriff and Mark McGwire. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Fred McGriff | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,460 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,757 | 6,187 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,349 | 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,490 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 24 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 493 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,550 | 1,414 |
| Walks | 1,305 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,882 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .377 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .886 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire leads Fred McGriff 44,531 to 37,233 — driven by per-season impact — 2,783 PIV per season to 1,960 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 16 seasons to Fred McGriff's 19. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Fred McGriff leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Mark McGwire leads 5: home runs, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Mark McGwire higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred McGriff and Mark McGwire careers compare
From 1986 through 2001, Fred McGriff and Mark McGwire were in the majors together. With 2,460 games against 1,874 across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305); Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 493 of 2,490 for Fred McGriff, 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire. Mark McGwire's slugging percentage of .588 tops Fred McGriff's .509. Mark McGwire owns the better peak by OPS: 1.012 OPS in 1994 for Fred McGriff against 1.222 OPS in 1998 for Mark McGwire.
Fred McGriff vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred McGriff or Mark McGwire?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Mark McGwire in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Fred McGriff or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Fred McGriff's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Fred McGriff's .886.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred McGriff, with .284 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.