Rickey Henderson vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson 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). Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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
Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 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 Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rickey Henderson, with .279 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Rickey Henderson, with 1,115 to Lance Parrish's 1,070.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Lance Parrish's 1.
Rickey Henderson
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson 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 | Rickey Henderson | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,961 | 7,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 856 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,055 | 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 510 | 305 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 297 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,115 | 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .313 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Lance Parrish 37,642 to 6,792 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,298 PIV per season to 340, across 29 seasons to 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).
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Lance Parrish owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. PIV agrees: Rickey Henderson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rickey Henderson and Lance Parrish careers compare
From 1979 through 1995, Rickey Henderson and Lance Parrish were in the majors together. The table compares 3,081 games of Rickey Henderson with 1,988 of Lance Parrish across 29 and 20 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Lance Parrish's edges on the table are home runs (324 to 297) and slugging percentage (.440 to .419). At the plate, Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), while 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.
Rickey Henderson vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Lance Parrish in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rickey Henderson, with .279 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.