Mark McGwire vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — 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; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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 Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Mark McGwire's 1.
Mark McGwire
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Pete Rose. 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 | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,167 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,414 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,317 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire leads Pete Rose 44,531 to 40,772 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,631 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Pete Rose's 25. 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
From 1986 through 1986, Mark McGwire and Pete Rose were in the majors together. Pete Rose has the far longer record, 3,562 games against 1,874 across 17 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Plate discipline differs: Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire, 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mark McGwire's slugging percentage of .588 tops Pete Rose's .409.
Mark McGwire vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.