Lenny Dykstra vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lenny Dykstra played 1985–1996 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
Lenny Dykstra (1985–1996) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lenny Dykstra finished with 1,298 hits and 81 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 Lenny Dykstra's 81.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dave Parker, with .810 to Lenny Dykstra's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Lenny Dykstra's .285.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Lenny Dykstra's 1,298.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Lenny Dykstra's 404.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Parker, with 23,542 career PIV to Lenny Dykstra's 10,693.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Lenny Dykstra's 1.
Lenny Dykstra
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lenny Dykstra 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, 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 | Lenny Dykstra | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,278 | Leads: 2,466 |
| At-Bats | 4,559 | Leads: 9,358 |
| Runs | 802 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 1,298 | Leads: 2,712 |
| Doubles | 281 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 81 | Leads: 339 |
| RBI | 404 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | 640 | Leads: 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 503 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 285 | 154 |
| Batting Avg | .285 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .339 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | .793 | Leads: .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Parker outpaces Lenny Dykstra 23,542 to 10,693 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,177 PIV per season to 823, across 20 seasons to 13. 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).
Lenny Dykstra — 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 Lenny Dykstra owns stolen bases and OBP. 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 Lenny Dykstra and Dave Parker careers compare
Lenny Dykstra and Dave Parker were active at the same time between 1985 and 1991. Dave Parker has the far longer record, 2,466 games against 1,278 across 13 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Lenny Dykstra are stolen bases (285 to 154) and on-base percentage (.375 to .339). At the plate, Lenny Dykstra walked more often than struck out (640 walks, 503 strikeouts), while Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). Dave Parker is the more power-leaning hitter, with 339 of 2,712 hits leaving the park.
Lenny Dykstra vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lenny Dykstra or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Lenny Dykstra in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lenny Dykstra or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Lenny Dykstra's 81.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dave Parker, with .810 to Lenny Dykstra's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Lenny Dykstra's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Lenny Dykstra's 1,298.