Mark McGwire vs Johnny Mize: Career Stats Comparison
Johnny Mize has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Mark McGwire played 1986–2001 as a hitter; Johnny Mize played 1936–1953 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
Mark McGwire (1986–2001) and Johnny Mize (1936–1953) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs; Johnny Mize finished with 2,011 hits and 359 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 Johnny Mize's 359.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Johnny Mize's .959.
- Who had the higher batting average? Johnny Mize, with .312 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Johnny Mize's 1,337.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Johnny Mize's 43,061.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Mize, with 5 World Series titles to Mark McGwire's 1.
Mark McGwire
Johnny Mize
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Johnny Mize. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mark McGwire | Johnny Mize |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 1,884 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 6,443 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,167 | 1,118 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 2,011 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 367 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 83 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 359 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,414 | 1,337 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 856 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 524 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 28 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | .394 | Leads: .397 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .562 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .959 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire edges Johnny Mize 44,531 to 43,061 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Johnny Mize's 16, while Johnny Mize carries the higher per-season figure (2,691 to 2,620). 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).
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Johnny Mize — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OPS, while Johnny Mize owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mark McGwire. PIV agrees: Mark McGwire grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mark McGwire and Johnny Mize careers compare
Johnny Mize (1936–1953) was finished before Mark McGwire (1986–2001) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,874 games against 1,884 across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317), but Johnny Mize walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 524 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire, 359 of 2,011 for Johnny Mize. In on-base percentage, Johnny Mize holds the edge, .397 to .394.
Mark McGwire vs Johnny Mize: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Johnny Mize?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johnny Mize leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Johnny Mize hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Johnny Mize's 359.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Johnny Mize's .959.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Johnny Mize, with .312 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.