Bobby Bonds vs Dale Murphy: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Bonds and Dale Murphy are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Bobby Bonds played 1968–1981 as a hitter; Dale Murphy played 1976–1993 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
Bobby Bonds (1968–1981) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Bonds finished with 1,886 hits and 332 home runs; Dale Murphy finished with 2,111 hits and 398 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dale Murphy, with 398 to Bobby Bonds's 332.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Bonds, with .824 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Bonds, with .268 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Dale Murphy, with 2,111 to Bobby Bonds's 1,886.
- Who drove in more runs? Dale Murphy, with 1,266 to Bobby Bonds's 1,024.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Bonds, with 25,739 career PIV to Dale Murphy's 24,431.
Bobby Bonds
Dale Murphy
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Bonds and Dale Murphy. 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Bonds | Dale Murphy |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,849 | Leads: 2,180 |
| At-Bats | 7,043 | Leads: 7,960 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,258 | 1,197 |
| Hits | 1,886 | Leads: 2,111 |
| Doubles | 302 | Leads: 350 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 39 |
| Home Runs | 332 | Leads: 398 |
| RBI | 1,024 | Leads: 1,266 |
| Walks | 914 | Leads: 986 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,757 | 1,748 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 461 | 161 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .268 | .265 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .353 | .346 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .471 | .469 |
| OPS | Leads: .824 | .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Bonds edges Dale Murphy 25,739 to 24,431 — driven by per-season impact — 1,716 PIV per season to 1,286 — rather than by longevity, since Bobby Bonds played 15 seasons to Dale Murphy's 19. 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).
Bobby Bonds — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dale Murphy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Bonds leads in runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Dale Murphy owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Bonds. PIV agrees: Bobby Bonds grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Bonds and Dale Murphy careers compare
The careers of Bobby Bonds (1968–1981) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) overlapped from 1976 to 1981, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,849 games against 2,180 across 15 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Bobby Bonds struck out more than walked (1,757 to 914), and Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986). Bobby Bonds was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Bobby Bonds's on-base percentage of .353 tops Dale Murphy's .346. Dale Murphy owns the better peak by OPS: .900 OPS in 1973 for Bobby Bonds against .997 OPS in 1987 for Dale Murphy.
Bobby Bonds vs Dale Murphy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Bobby Bonds or Dale Murphy hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Bobby Bonds's 332.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Bonds, with .824 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Bonds, with .268 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Dale Murphy, with 2,111 to Bobby Bonds's 1,886.