Mark McGwire vs Robin Yount: Career Stats Comparison
Robin Yount 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; Robin Yount played 1974–1993 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 Robin Yount (1974–1993) — 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; Robin Yount finished with 3,142 hits and 251 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 Robin Yount's 251.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robin Yount, with .285 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Robin Yount, with 3,142 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Robin Yount's 1,406.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Robin Yount's 18,665.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Robin Yount's 0.
Mark McGwire
Robin Yount
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Robin Yount. 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 | Robin Yount |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,874 | Leads: 2,856 |
| At-Bats | 6,187 | Leads: 11,008 |
| Runs | 1,167 | Leads: 1,632 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 3,142 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 583 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 126 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 251 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,414 | 1,406 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,317 | 966 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,350 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 271 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .430 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .772 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Robin Yount 44,531 to 18,665 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 933 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Robin Yount'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
Robin Yount — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Robin Yount 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 Robin Yount careers compare
From 1986 through 1993, Mark McGwire and Robin Yount were in the majors together. Robin Yount has the far longer record, 2,856 games against 1,874 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. At the plate, Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317), and Robin Yount struck out more than walked (1,350 to 966). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire, 251 of 3,142 for Robin Yount. On the bases, Robin Yount stole more often per game played (12 steals in 1,874 games for Mark McGwire, 271 in 2,856 for Robin Yount).
Mark McGwire vs Robin Yount: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Robin Yount?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robin Yount leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Robin Yount hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Robin Yount's 251.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robin Yount, with .285 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Robin Yount, with 3,142 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.