Bobby Grich vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Grich has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 as a hitter; Lance Parrish played 1977–1995 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
Bobby Grich (1970–1986) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 home runs; Lance Parrish finished with 1,782 hits and 324 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lance Parrish, with 324 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Grich, with .794 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Grich, with .266 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Grich, with 1,833 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Lance Parrish, with 1,070 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Grich, with 20,680 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Bobby Grich
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Grich and Lance Parrish. 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 | Bobby Grich | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,008 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats | 6,890 | Leads: 7,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,033 | 856 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,833 | 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 320 | 305 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 224 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | 864 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,087 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,278 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 104 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .266 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .313 |
| Slugging % | .424 | Leads: .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .794 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Grich outpaces Lance Parrish 20,680 to 6,792 — driven by per-season impact — 1,216 PIV per season to 340 — rather than by longevity, since Bobby Grich played 17 seasons to Lance Parrish'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).
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Grich leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Lance Parrish owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Grich. PIV agrees: Bobby Grich grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Grich and Lance Parrish careers compare
Bobby Grich and Lance Parrish were active at the same time between 1977 and 1986. The two careers are close in length, 2,008 games for Bobby Grich and 1,988 for Lance Parrish across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Lance Parrish are at-bats (7,067 to 6,890), home runs (324 to 224), and RBI (1,070 to 864). At the plate, Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087), and Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). Lance Parrish is the more power-leaning hitter, with 324 of 1,782 hits leaving the park.
Bobby Grich vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Grich or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bobby Grich leads Lance Parrish in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Grich or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Grich, with .794 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Grich, with .266 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Grich, with 1,833 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.