Chet Lemon vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Chet Lemon 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). Chet Lemon played 1975–1990 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
Chet Lemon (1975–1990) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Chet Lemon finished with 1,875 hits and 215 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 Chet Lemon's 215.
- Who had the higher OPS? Chet Lemon, with .797 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Chet Lemon, with .273 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Chet Lemon, with 1,875 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Lance Parrish, with 1,070 to Chet Lemon's 884.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Chet Lemon, with 17,435 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Chet Lemon
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Chet Lemon 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 | Chet Lemon | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,988 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats | 6,868 | Leads: 7,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 973 | 856 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,875 | 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 396 | 305 |
| Triples | Leads: 61 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 215 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | 884 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 749 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,024 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 58 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .273 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .355 | .313 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .442 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .797 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chet Lemon outpaces Lance Parrish 17,435 to 6,792 — driven by per-season impact — 1,090 PIV per season to 340 — rather than by longevity, since Chet Lemon played 16 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).
Chet Lemon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chet Lemon 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 Chet Lemon. PIV agrees: Chet Lemon grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Chet Lemon and Lance Parrish careers compare
From 1977 through 1990, Chet Lemon and Lance Parrish were in the majors together. With 1,988 games against 1,988 across 16 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Lance Parrish comes out ahead, it is in at-bats (7,067 to 6,868), home runs (324 to 215), and RBI (1,070 to 884). At the plate, Chet Lemon struck out more than walked (1,024 to 749), and Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). Home runs make up a larger share of Lance Parrish's hits: 215 of 1,875 for Chet Lemon, 324 of 1,782 for Lance Parrish.
Chet Lemon vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chet Lemon or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chet Lemon leads Lance Parrish in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Chet Lemon or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Chet Lemon's 215.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Chet Lemon, with .797 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Chet Lemon, with .273 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Chet Lemon, with 1,875 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.