Mark McGwire vs Ivan Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Ivan Rodriguez 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; Ivan Rodriguez played 1991–2011 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 Ivan Rodriguez (1991–2011) — 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; Ivan Rodriguez finished with 2,844 hits and 311 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 Ivan Rodriguez's 311.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Ivan Rodriguez's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ivan Rodriguez, with .296 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Ivan Rodriguez, with 2,844 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Ivan Rodriguez's 1,332.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Ivan Rodriguez's 10,232.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Mark McGwire
Ivan Rodriguez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Ivan Rodriguez. 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 | Ivan Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 2,543 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 9,592 |
| Runs | 1,167 | Leads: 1,354 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 2,844 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 572 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 51 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 311 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,414 | 1,332 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 513 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,474 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 127 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .464 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .798 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Ivan Rodriguez 44,531 to 10,232 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 445 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Ivan Rodriguez's 23. 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
Ivan Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Ivan Rodriguez 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 Ivan Rodriguez careers compare
Mark McGwire and Ivan Rodriguez were active at the same time between 1991 and 2001. With 1,874 games against 2,543 across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317); Ivan Rodriguez struck out more than walked (1,474 to 513). Mark McGwire is the more power-leaning hitter, with 583 of 1,626 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Ivan Rodriguez stole more often per game played (12 steals in 1,874 games for Mark McGwire, 127 in 2,543 for Ivan Rodriguez). In slugging percentage, Mark McGwire holds the edge, .588 to .464.
Mark McGwire vs Ivan Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Ivan Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ivan Rodriguez leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Ivan Rodriguez hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Ivan Rodriguez's 311.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Ivan Rodriguez's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ivan Rodriguez, with .296 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Ivan Rodriguez, with 2,844 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.