Chili Davis vs Dale Murphy: Career Stats Comparison
Chili Davis 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). Chili Davis played 1981–1999 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
Chili Davis (1981–1999) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Chili Davis finished with 2,380 hits and 350 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 Chili Davis's 350.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dale Murphy, with .815 to Chili Davis's .811.
- Who had the higher batting average? Chili Davis, with .274 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Chili Davis, with 2,380 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.
- Who drove in more runs? Chili Davis, with 1,372 to Dale Murphy's 1,266.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dale Murphy, with 24,431 career PIV to Chili Davis's 21,833.
- Who won more championships? Chili Davis, with 3 World Series titles to Dale Murphy's 0.
Chili Davis
Dale Murphy
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Chili Davis 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 | Chili Davis | Dale Murphy |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,436 | 2,180 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,673 | 7,960 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,240 | 1,197 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,380 | 2,111 |
| Doubles | Leads: 424 | 350 |
| Triples | 30 | Leads: 39 |
| Home Runs | 350 | Leads: 398 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,372 | 1,266 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,194 | 986 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,698 | 1,748 |
| Stolen Bases | 142 | Leads: 161 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .265 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .346 |
| Slugging % | .451 | Leads: .469 |
| OPS | .811 | Leads: .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dale Murphy leads Chili Davis 24,431 to 21,833 — driven by per-season impact — 1,286 PIV per season to 1,149 — rather than by longevity, since Dale Murphy played 19 seasons to Chili Davis'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).
Chili Davis — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dale Murphy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chili Davis leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Dale Murphy owns home runs, stolen bases, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chili Davis. Note that PIV actually grades Dale Murphy ahead, which means Chili Davis's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Chili Davis and Dale Murphy careers compare
The careers of Chili Davis (1981–1999) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) overlapped from 1981 to 1993, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,436 games against 2,180 across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Chili Davis struck out more than walked (1,698 to 1,194); Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986). Dale Murphy was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Dale Murphy holds the edge, .469 to .451. Best seasons: 1994 for Chili Davis (.971 OPS, 26 HR, 84 RBI, .311 avg) and 1987 for Dale Murphy (.997 OPS, 44 HR, 105 RBI, .295 avg).
Chili Davis vs Dale Murphy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chili Davis or Dale Murphy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chili Davis leads Dale Murphy in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Chili Davis or Dale Murphy hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Chili Davis's 350.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dale Murphy, with .815 to Chili Davis's .811.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Chili Davis, with .274 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Chili Davis, with 2,380 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.