Mark McGwire vs Ichiro Suzuki: Career Stats Comparison
Ichiro Suzuki 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; Ichiro Suzuki played 2001–2019 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 Ichiro Suzuki (2001–2019) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs; Ichiro Suzuki finished with 3,089 hits and 117 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 Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Ichiro Suzuki's 780.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Ichiro Suzuki's 6,671.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Ichiro Suzuki's 0.
Mark McGwire
Ichiro Suzuki
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Ichiro Suzuki. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mark McGwire | Ichiro Suzuki |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 2,653 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 9,934 |
| Runs | 1,167 | Leads: 1,420 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 3,089 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 362 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 117 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,414 | 780 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 647 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,080 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 509 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .311 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .402 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .757 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Ichiro Suzuki 44,531 to 6,671 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 334 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Ichiro Suzuki'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
Ichiro Suzuki — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Ichiro Suzuki 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 Ichiro Suzuki careers compare
Mark McGwire and Ichiro Suzuki were active at the same time between 2001 and 2001. With 1,874 games against 2,653 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317); Ichiro Suzuki struck out more than walked (1,080 to 647). Mark McGwire is the more power-leaning hitter, with 583 of 1,626 hits leaving the park. Ichiro Suzuki was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Mark McGwire holds the edge, .588 to .402.
Mark McGwire vs Ichiro Suzuki: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Ichiro Suzuki?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ichiro Suzuki leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Ichiro Suzuki hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.