Brian Downing vs Dale Murphy: Career Stats Comparison
Dale Murphy 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). Brian Downing played 1973–1992 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
Brian Downing (1973–1992) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) — 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; 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 Brian Downing's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dale Murphy, with .815 to Brian Downing's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Brian Downing, with .267 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Dale Murphy, with 2,111 to Brian Downing's 2,099.
- Who drove in more runs? Dale Murphy, with 1,266 to Brian Downing's 1,073.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dale Murphy, with 24,431 career PIV to Brian Downing's 22,792.
Brian Downing
Dale Murphy
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Brian Downing 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Brian Downing | Dale Murphy |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,344 | 2,180 |
| At-Bats | 7,853 | Leads: 7,960 |
| Runs | 1,188 | Leads: 1,197 |
| Hits | 2,099 | Leads: 2,111 |
| Doubles | Leads: 360 | 350 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 39 |
| Home Runs | 275 | Leads: 398 |
| RBI | 1,073 | Leads: 1,266 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,197 | 986 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,127 | 1,748 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 161 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .267 | .265 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .370 | .346 |
| Slugging % | .425 | Leads: .469 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dale Murphy edges Brian Downing 24,431 to 22,792 — driven by per-season impact — 1,286 PIV per season to 1,140 — rather than by longevity, since Dale Murphy played 19 seasons to Brian Downing's 20. 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
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 Brian Downing owns batting average and OBP. 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 Brian Downing and Dale Murphy careers compare
The careers of Brian Downing (1973–1992) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) overlapped from 1976 to 1992, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,344 games for Brian Downing and 2,180 for Dale Murphy across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Brian Downing walked more often than struck out (1,197 walks, 1,127 strikeouts), while Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986). Home runs make up a larger share of Dale Murphy's hits: 275 of 2,099 for Brian Downing, 398 of 2,111 for Dale Murphy.
Brian Downing vs Dale Murphy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brian Downing or Dale Murphy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dale Murphy leads Brian Downing in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Brian Downing or Dale Murphy hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Brian Downing's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dale Murphy, with .815 to Brian Downing's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Brian Downing, with .267 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Dale Murphy, with 2,111 to Brian Downing's 2,099.