Mark McGwire vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield 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; Dave Winfield played 1973–1995 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 Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs; Dave Winfield finished with 3,110 hits and 465 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 Dave Winfield's 465.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Winfield, with .283 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Dave Winfield's 34,842.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Mark McGwire
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Dave Winfield. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mark McGwire | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 1,167 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 465 |
| RBI | 1,414 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 223 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .353 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .475 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire leads Dave Winfield 44,531 to 34,842 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,515 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Dave Winfield'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
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Winfield leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mark McGwire owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Winfield. Note that PIV actually grades Mark McGwire ahead, which means Dave Winfield's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mark McGwire and Dave Winfield careers compare
The careers of Mark McGwire (1986–2001) and Dave Winfield (1973–1995) overlapped from 1986 to 1995, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Dave Winfield has the far longer record, 2,973 games against 1,874 across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317); Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216). Mark McGwire is the more power-leaning hitter, with 583 of 1,626 hits leaving the park. Dave Winfield was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Mark McGwire holds the edge, .588 to .475.
Mark McGwire vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Winfield leads Mark McGwire in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Dave Winfield's 465.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Winfield, with .283 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.