Mark McGwire vs Aramis Ramirez: Career Stats Comparison
Aramis Ramirez 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; Aramis Ramirez played 1998–2015 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 Aramis Ramirez (1998–2015) — 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; Aramis Ramirez finished with 2,303 hits and 386 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 Aramis Ramirez's 386.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Aramis Ramirez's .833.
- Who had the higher batting average? Aramis Ramirez, with .283 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Aramis Ramirez, with 2,303 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Aramis Ramirez, with 1,417 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Aramis Ramirez's 19,345.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Aramis Ramirez's 0.
Mark McGwire
Aramis Ramirez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Aramis Ramirez. 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 | Aramis Ramirez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 2,194 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 8,136 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,167 | 1,098 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 2,303 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 495 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 386 |
| RBI | 1,414 | Leads: 1,417 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 633 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,238 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 29 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .341 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .492 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .833 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Aramis Ramirez 44,531 to 19,345 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 967 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Aramis Ramirez's 20. 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
Aramis Ramirez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, runs, OBP, and OPS, while Aramis Ramirez owns hits, RBI, 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 Aramis Ramirez careers compare
Mark McGwire and Aramis Ramirez were active at the same time between 1998 and 2001. The two careers are close in length, 1,874 games for Mark McGwire and 2,194 for Aramis Ramirez across 17 and 20 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 Aramis Ramirez struck out more than walked (1,238 to 633). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire, 386 of 2,303 for Aramis Ramirez. In slugging percentage, Mark McGwire holds the edge, .588 to .492.
Mark McGwire vs Aramis Ramirez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Aramis Ramirez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Aramis Ramirez leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Aramis Ramirez hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Aramis Ramirez's 386.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Aramis Ramirez's .833.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Aramis Ramirez, with .283 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Aramis Ramirez, with 2,303 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.