Mark McGwire vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Mark McGwire and Graig Nettles are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Mark McGwire played 1986–2001 as a hitter; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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 Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 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 Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mark McGwire, with .263 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Mark McGwire's 1.
Mark McGwire
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Graig Nettles. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mark McGwire | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | 1,167 | Leads: 1,193 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 2,225 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 328 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 28 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,414 | 1,314 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .263 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Graig Nettles 44,531 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Graig Nettles's 22. 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
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Graig Nettles 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 Graig Nettles careers compare
Mark McGwire and Graig Nettles were active at the same time between 1986 and 1988. The two careers are close in length, 1,874 games for Mark McGwire and 2,700 for Graig Nettles across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317), and Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire, 390 of 2,225 for Graig Nettles. In slugging percentage, Mark McGwire holds the edge, .588 to .421.
Mark McGwire vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Mark McGwire or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mark McGwire, with .263 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.