Ken Griffey vs Dale Murphy: Career Stats Comparison
Dale Murphy 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). Ken Griffey played 1973–1991 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
Ken Griffey (1973–1991) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ken Griffey finished with 2,143 hits and 152 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 Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dale Murphy, with .815 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey, with .296 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.
- Who drove in more runs? Dale Murphy, with 1,266 to Ken Griffey's 859.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dale Murphy, with 24,431 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 15,957.
- Who won more championships? Ken Griffey, with 3 World Series titles to Dale Murphy's 0.
Ken Griffey
Dale Murphy
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey 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 | Ken Griffey | Dale Murphy |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,097 | Leads: 2,180 |
| At-Bats | 7,229 | Leads: 7,960 |
| Runs | 1,129 | Leads: 1,197 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,143 | 2,111 |
| Doubles | Leads: 364 | 350 |
| Triples | Leads: 77 | 39 |
| Home Runs | 152 | Leads: 398 |
| RBI | 859 | Leads: 1,266 |
| Walks | 719 | Leads: 986 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 898 | 1,748 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 200 | 161 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .265 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .346 |
| Slugging % | .431 | Leads: .469 |
| OPS | .790 | Leads: .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dale Murphy outpaces Ken Griffey 24,431 to 15,957 — driven by per-season impact — 1,286 PIV per season to 725 — rather than by longevity, since Dale Murphy played 19 seasons to Ken Griffey's 22. 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).
Ken Griffey — 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, RBI, runs, and OPS, while Ken Griffey owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. 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 Ken Griffey and Dale Murphy careers compare
The careers of Ken Griffey (1973–1991) and Dale Murphy (1976–1993) overlapped from 1976 to 1991, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,097 games against 2,180 across 22 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (898 to 719), and Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986). Home runs make up a larger share of Dale Murphy's hits: 152 of 2,143 for Ken Griffey, 398 of 2,111 for Dale Murphy. Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Ken Griffey vs Dale Murphy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Dale Murphy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dale Murphy leads Ken Griffey in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Dale Murphy hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dale Murphy, with .815 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey, with .296 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.