Mark McGwire vs Matt Olson: Career Stats Comparison
Mark McGwire 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). Mark McGwire played 1986–2001 as a hitter; Matt Olson has played 2016–present 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 Matt Olson (2016–present) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs; Matt Olson has 1,312 hits and 329 home runs through October 12, 2026. 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 Matt Olson's 329.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Matt Olson's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mark McGwire, with .263 to Matt Olson's .256.
- Who had more hits? Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Matt Olson's 1,312.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Matt Olson's 901.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Matt Olson's 17,319.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Matt Olson's 0.
Mark McGwire
Matt Olson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Matt Olson. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Matt Olson is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Mark McGwire | Matt Olson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,874 | 1,385 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,187 | 5,121 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,167 | 811 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,626 | 1,312 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 284 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 7 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 329 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,414 | 901 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 677 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,409 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 13 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .263 | .256 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .347 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .507 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Matt Olson 44,531 to 17,319 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,620 PIV per season to 1,732, across 17 seasons to 10. 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
Matt Olson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Matt Olson owns 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 Matt Olson careers compare
No season is shared: Mark McGwire played 1986–2001, Matt Olson 2016–present. The two careers are close in length, 1,874 games for Mark McGwire and 1,385 for Matt Olson across 17 and 10 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Matt Olson comes out ahead, it is in doubles (284 to 252), triples (7 to 6), and stolen bases (13 to 12). Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317); Matt Olson struck out more than walked (1,409 to 677). Mark McGwire is the more power-leaning hitter, with 583 of 1,626 hits leaving the park. Because Matt Olson is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Mark McGwire vs Matt Olson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Matt Olson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark McGwire leads Matt Olson in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Matt Olson hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Matt Olson's 329.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Matt Olson's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mark McGwire, with .263 to Matt Olson's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Mark McGwire, with 1,626 to Matt Olson's 1,312.