Bobby Bonilla vs Dale Murphy: Career Stats Comparison
Dale Murphy 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). Bobby Bonilla played 1986–2001 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 Bonilla (1986–2001) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Bonilla finished with 2,010 hits and 287 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 Bonilla's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Bonilla, with .829 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Bonilla, with .279 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Dale Murphy, with 2,111 to Bobby Bonilla's 2,010.
- Who drove in more runs? Dale Murphy, with 1,266 to Bobby Bonilla's 1,173.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dale Murphy, with 24,431 career PIV to Bobby Bonilla's 19,507.
- Who won more championships? Bobby Bonilla, with 1 World Series title to Dale Murphy's 0.
Bobby Bonilla
Dale Murphy
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Bonilla 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Bonilla | Dale Murphy |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,113 | Leads: 2,180 |
| At-Bats | 7,213 | Leads: 7,960 |
| Runs | 1,084 | Leads: 1,197 |
| Hits | 2,010 | Leads: 2,111 |
| Doubles | Leads: 408 | 350 |
| Triples | Leads: 61 | 39 |
| Home Runs | 287 | Leads: 398 |
| RBI | 1,173 | Leads: 1,266 |
| Walks | 912 | Leads: 986 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,204 | 1,748 |
| Stolen Bases | 45 | Leads: 161 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .265 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .346 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .472 | .469 |
| OPS | Leads: .829 | .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dale Murphy leads Bobby Bonilla 24,431 to 19,507 — driven by per-season impact — 1,286 PIV per season to 1,027 — rather than by longevity, since Dale Murphy played 19 seasons to Bobby Bonilla'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 Bonilla — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dale Murphy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dale Murphy leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Bonilla owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dale Murphy. PIV agrees: Dale Murphy grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Bonilla and Dale Murphy careers compare
The careers of Bobby Bonilla (1986–2001) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) overlapped from 1986 to 1993, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,113 games for Bobby Bonilla and 2,180 for Dale Murphy across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Bobby Bonilla struck out more than walked (1,204 to 912), and Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986). Dale Murphy is the more power-leaning hitter, with 398 of 2,111 hits leaving the park. Dale Murphy was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Bobby Bonilla vs Dale Murphy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Bonilla or Dale Murphy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dale Murphy leads Bobby Bonilla in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Bonilla or Dale Murphy hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Bobby Bonilla's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Bonilla, with .829 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Bonilla, with .279 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Dale Murphy, with 2,111 to Bobby Bonilla's 2,010.