Carlton Fisk vs Dale Murphy: Career Stats Comparison
Carlton Fisk has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Carlton Fisk played 1969–1993 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
Carlton Fisk (1969–1993) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Carlton Fisk finished with 2,356 hits and 376 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 Carlton Fisk's 376.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dale Murphy, with .815 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlton Fisk, with .269 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Carlton Fisk, with 2,356 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlton Fisk, with 1,330 to Dale Murphy's 1,266.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dale Murphy, with 24,431 career PIV to Carlton Fisk's 21,513.
Carlton Fisk
Dale Murphy
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlton Fisk 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carlton Fisk | Dale Murphy |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,499 | 2,180 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,756 | 7,960 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,276 | 1,197 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,356 | 2,111 |
| Doubles | Leads: 421 | 350 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 39 |
| Home Runs | 376 | Leads: 398 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,330 | 1,266 |
| Walks | 849 | Leads: 986 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,386 | 1,748 |
| Stolen Bases | 128 | Leads: 161 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .269 | .265 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .346 |
| Slugging % | .457 | Leads: .469 |
| OPS | .797 | Leads: .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dale Murphy leads Carlton Fisk 24,431 to 21,513 — driven by per-season impact — 1,286 PIV per season to 896 — rather than by longevity, since Dale Murphy played 19 seasons to Carlton Fisk's 24. 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).
Carlton Fisk — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dale Murphy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dale Murphy leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Carlton Fisk owns hits, RBI, and runs. 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 Carlton Fisk and Dale Murphy careers compare
The careers of Carlton Fisk (1969–1993) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) overlapped from 1976 to 1993, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,499 games against 2,180 across 24 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Carlton Fisk struck out more than walked (1,386 to 849), and Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986). On the bases, Dale Murphy stole more often per game played (128 steals in 2,499 games for Carlton Fisk, 161 in 2,180 for Dale Murphy). Dale Murphy's slugging percentage of .469 tops Carlton Fisk's .457.
Carlton Fisk vs Dale Murphy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlton Fisk or Dale Murphy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carlton Fisk leads Dale Murphy in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlton Fisk or Dale Murphy hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Carlton Fisk's 376.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dale Murphy, with .815 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlton Fisk, with .269 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Carlton Fisk, with 2,356 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.