Fred McGriff vs Scott Rolen: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 as a hitter; Scott Rolen played 1996–2012 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 Scott Rolen (1996–2012) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs; Scott Rolen finished with 2,077 hits and 316 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 Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Scott Rolen's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred McGriff, with .284 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Scott Rolen's 1,287.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Scott Rolen's 20,867.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Fred McGriff
Scott Rolen
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred McGriff and Scott Rolen. 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 1980s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred McGriff | Scott Rolen |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,460 | 2,038 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,757 | 7,398 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,349 | 1,211 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,490 | 2,077 |
| Doubles | 441 | Leads: 517 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 43 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 316 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,550 | 1,287 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,305 | 899 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,882 | 1,410 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .281 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .377 | .364 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .490 |
| OPS | Leads: .886 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff outpaces Scott Rolen 37,233 to 20,867 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,773 PIV per season to 1,098, across 21 seasons to 19. 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).
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Scott Rolen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred McGriff leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Scott Rolen owns stolen bases. 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
How the Fred McGriff and Scott Rolen careers compare
The careers of Fred McGriff (1986–2004) and Scott Rolen (1996–2012) overlapped from 1996 to 2004, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,460 games against 2,038 across 21 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Scott Rolen are doubles (517 to 441), triples (43 to 24), and stolen bases (118 to 72). At the plate, Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305), and Scott Rolen struck out more than walked (1,410 to 899). Fred McGriff is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,490 hits leaving the park.
Fred McGriff vs Scott Rolen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred McGriff or Scott Rolen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Scott Rolen in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred McGriff or Scott Rolen hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Scott Rolen's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred McGriff, with .284 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.