Brian Downing vs Bobby Grich: Career Stats Comparison
Brian Downing has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Brian Downing played 1973–1992 as a hitter; Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 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
Brian Downing (1973–1992) and Bobby Grich (1970–1986) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Brian Downing finished with 2,099 hits and 275 home runs; Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Brian Downing, with 275 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS? Brian Downing, with .796 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Brian Downing, with .267 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits? Brian Downing, with 2,099 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.
- Who drove in more runs? Brian Downing, with 1,073 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Brian Downing, with 22,792 career PIV to Bobby Grich's 20,680.
- Who won more championships? Bobby Grich, with 1 World Series title to Brian Downing's 0.
Brian Downing
Bobby Grich
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Brian Downing and Bobby Grich. 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 | Brian Downing | Bobby Grich |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,344 | 2,008 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,853 | 6,890 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,188 | 1,033 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,099 | 1,833 |
| Doubles | Leads: 360 | 320 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 275 | 224 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,073 | 864 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,197 | 1,087 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,127 | 1,278 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .267 | .266 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .425 | .424 |
| OPS | Leads: .796 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Brian Downing leads Bobby Grich 22,792 to 20,680 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Brian Downing played 20 seasons to Bobby Grich's 17, while Bobby Grich carries the higher per-season figure (1,216 to 1,140). 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).
Brian Downing — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Brian Downing leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Grich owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Brian Downing. PIV agrees: Brian Downing grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brian Downing and Bobby Grich careers compare
The careers of Brian Downing (1973–1992) and Bobby Grich (1970–1986) overlapped from 1973 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,344 games for Brian Downing and 2,008 for Bobby Grich across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Bobby Grich's edges on the table are triples (47 to 28), stolen bases (104 to 50), and on-base percentage (.371 to .370). Plate discipline differs: Brian Downing walked more often than struck out (1,197 walks, 1,127 strikeouts), but Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087).
Brian Downing vs Bobby Grich: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brian Downing or Bobby Grich?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Brian Downing leads Bobby Grich in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Brian Downing or Bobby Grich hit more home runs?
- Brian Downing, with 275 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Brian Downing, with .796 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Brian Downing, with .267 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Brian Downing, with 2,099 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.