Gary Carter vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Gary Carter played 1974–1992 as a hitter; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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
Gary Carter (1974–1992) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Gary Carter finished with 2,092 hits and 324 home runs; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Gary Carter's 324.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dave Parker, with .810 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Gary Carter's 2,092.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Gary Carter's 1,225.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Parker, with 23,542 career PIV to Gary Carter's 14,141.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Gary Carter's 1.
Gary Carter
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Carter and Dave Parker. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gary Carter | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,296 | Leads: 2,466 |
| At-Bats | 7,971 | Leads: 9,358 |
| Runs | 1,025 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 2,092 | Leads: 2,712 |
| Doubles | 371 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 324 | Leads: 339 |
| RBI | 1,225 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | Leads: 848 | 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 997 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .335 | Leads: .339 |
| Slugging % | .439 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | .773 | Leads: .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Parker outpaces Gary Carter 23,542 to 14,141 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,177 PIV per season to 744, across 20 seasons to 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).
Gary Carter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Gary Carter owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. PIV agrees: Dave Parker grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gary Carter and Dave Parker careers compare
Gary Carter and Dave Parker were active at the same time between 1974 and 1991. With 2,296 games against 2,466 across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Gary Carter's edges on the table are walks (848 to 683). Gary Carter struck out more than walked (997 to 848); Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). On the bases, Dave Parker stole more often per game played (39 steals in 2,296 games for Gary Carter, 154 in 2,466 for Dave Parker). In slugging percentage, Dave Parker holds the edge, .471 to .439.
Gary Carter vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Carter or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Gary Carter in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gary Carter or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Gary Carter's 324.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dave Parker, with .810 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Gary Carter's 2,092.