Mark McGwire vs Paul Molitor: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Molitor 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; Paul Molitor played 1978–1998 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 Paul Molitor (1978–1998) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs; Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits and 234 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 Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Paul Molitor's 1,307.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Paul Molitor's 29,073.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Mark McGwire
Paul Molitor
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Paul Molitor. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mark McGwire | Paul Molitor |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 2,683 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 10,835 |
| Runs | 1,167 | Leads: 1,782 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 3,319 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 114 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 234 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,414 | 1,307 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 1,094 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,244 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 504 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .369 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .448 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Paul Molitor 44,531 to 29,073 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,384 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Paul Molitor'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).
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Molitor — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Paul Molitor owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Paul Molitor careers compare
From 1986 through 1998, Mark McGwire and Paul Molitor were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,874 games for Mark McGwire and 2,683 for Paul Molitor across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317); Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire, 234 of 3,319 for Paul Molitor. On the bases, Paul Molitor stole more often per game played (12 steals in 1,874 games for Mark McGwire, 504 in 2,683 for Paul Molitor).
Mark McGwire vs Paul Molitor: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Paul Molitor?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Molitor leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Paul Molitor hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.