Mark McGwire vs David Ortiz: Career Stats Comparison
David Ortiz has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; David Ortiz played 1997–2016 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 David Ortiz (1997–2016) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs; David Ortiz finished with 2,472 hits and 541 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 David Ortiz's 541.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to David Ortiz's .931.
- Who had the higher batting average? David Ortiz, with .286 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? David Ortiz, with 2,472 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? David Ortiz, with 1,768 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? David Ortiz, with 46,358 career PIV to Mark McGwire's 44,531.
- Who won more championships? David Ortiz, with 3 World Series titles to Mark McGwire's 1.
Mark McGwire
David Ortiz
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and David Ortiz. 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 | Mark McGwire | David Ortiz |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 2,408 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 8,640 |
| Runs | 1,167 | Leads: 1,419 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 632 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 19 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 541 |
| RBI | 1,414 | Leads: 1,768 |
| Walks | 1,317 | Leads: 1,319 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,750 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 17 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .286 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .552 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .931 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Ortiz edges Mark McGwire 46,358 to 44,531 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: David Ortiz played 20 seasons to Mark McGwire's 17, while Mark McGwire carries the higher per-season figure (2,620 to 2,318). 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
David Ortiz — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Ortiz leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mark McGwire owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Ortiz. PIV agrees: David Ortiz 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 David Ortiz careers compare
From 1997 through 2001, Mark McGwire and David Ortiz were in the majors together. With 1,874 games against 2,408 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Mark McGwire are home runs (583 to 541), on-base percentage (.394 to .380), and slugging percentage (.588 to .552). At the plate, Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317), and David Ortiz struck out more than walked (1,750 to 1,319). Mark McGwire is the more power-leaning hitter, with 583 of 1,626 hits leaving the park.
Mark McGwire vs David Ortiz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or David Ortiz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Ortiz leads Mark McGwire in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or David Ortiz hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to David Ortiz's 541.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to David Ortiz's .931.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- David Ortiz, with .286 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- David Ortiz, with 2,472 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.