Fred McGriff vs Frank Thomas: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Thomas has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Frank Thomas played 1990–2008 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 Frank Thomas (1990–2008) — 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; Frank Thomas finished with 2,468 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Thomas, with 521 to Fred McGriff's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Thomas, with .974 to Fred McGriff's .886.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Thomas, with .301 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Frank Thomas's 2,468.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Thomas, with 1,704 to Fred McGriff's 1,550.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Thomas, with 56,456 career PIV to Fred McGriff's 37,233.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Fred McGriff
Frank Thomas
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred McGriff and Frank Thomas. 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 | Frank Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,460 | 2,322 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,757 | 8,199 |
| Runs | 1,349 | Leads: 1,494 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,490 | 2,468 |
| Doubles | 441 | Leads: 495 |
| Triples | Leads: 24 | 12 |
| Home Runs | 493 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 1,550 | Leads: 1,704 |
| Walks | 1,305 | Leads: 1,667 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,882 | 1,397 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .301 |
| On-Base % | .377 | Leads: .419 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .555 |
| OPS | .886 | Leads: .974 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Thomas outpaces Fred McGriff 56,456 to 37,233 — driven by per-season impact — 2,823 PIV per season to 1,773 — rather than by longevity, since Frank Thomas played 20 seasons to Fred McGriff's 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).
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Frank Thomas — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Frank Thomas leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Fred McGriff owns hits and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Thomas. PIV agrees: Frank Thomas 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 Frank Thomas careers compare
From 1990 through 2004, Fred McGriff and Frank Thomas were in the majors together. With 2,460 games against 2,322 across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305), but Frank Thomas walked more often than struck out (1,667 walks, 1,397 strikeouts). Frank Thomas's slugging percentage of .555 tops Fred McGriff's .509. Frank Thomas owns the better peak by OPS: 1.012 OPS in 1994 for Fred McGriff against 1.217 OPS in 1994 for Frank Thomas.
Fred McGriff vs Frank Thomas: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred McGriff or Frank Thomas?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Thomas leads Fred McGriff in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred McGriff or Frank Thomas hit more home runs?
- Frank Thomas, with 521 to Fred McGriff's 493.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Thomas, with .974 to Fred McGriff's .886.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Thomas, with .301 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Frank Thomas's 2,468.