Mark McGwire vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Mark McGwire and Ted Simmons are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Mark McGwire played 1986–2001 as a hitter; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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 Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — 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; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 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 Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Ted Simmons's 1,389.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Ted Simmons's 0.
Mark McGwire
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Ted Simmons. 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 | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,167 | 1,074 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 248 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,414 | 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 21 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Ted Simmons 44,531 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Ted Simmons's 21. 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
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Ted Simmons owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. 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 Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Mark McGwire (1986–2001) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1986 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,874 games for Mark McGwire and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons. Mark McGwire's slugging percentage of .588 tops Ted Simmons's .437.
Mark McGwire vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Mark McGwire or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.