Fred McGriff vs John Olerud: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 as a hitter; John Olerud played 1989–2005 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 John Olerud (1989–2005) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs; John Olerud finished with 2,239 hits and 255 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Fred McGriff, with 493 to John Olerud's 255.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to John Olerud's .863.
- Who had the higher batting average? John Olerud, with .295 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to John Olerud's 2,239.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to John Olerud's 1,230.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to John Olerud's 28,281.
- Who won more championships? John Olerud, with 2 World Series titles to Fred McGriff's 1.
Fred McGriff
John Olerud
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred McGriff and John Olerud. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred McGriff | John Olerud |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,460 | 2,234 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,757 | 7,592 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,349 | 1,139 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,490 | 2,239 |
| Doubles | 441 | Leads: 500 |
| Triples | Leads: 24 | 13 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 255 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,550 | 1,230 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,305 | 1,275 |
| Strikeouts | 1,882 | 1,016 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 11 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .377 | Leads: .398 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .465 |
| OPS | Leads: .886 | .863 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff leads John Olerud 37,233 to 28,281 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,773 vs 1,571 per year). 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
John Olerud — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred McGriff leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while John Olerud owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. PIV agrees: Fred McGriff grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Fred McGriff vs John Olerud: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred McGriff or John Olerud?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads John Olerud in 11 of 14 categories.
- Did Fred McGriff or John Olerud hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to John Olerud's 255.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to John Olerud's .863.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- John Olerud, with .295 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to John Olerud's 2,239.