Edgar Martinez vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Edgar Martinez 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). Edgar Martinez played 1987–2004 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
Edgar Martinez (1987–2004) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Edgar Martinez finished with 2,247 hits and 309 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 Edgar Martinez's 309.
- Who had the higher OPS? Edgar Martinez, with .933 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Edgar Martinez, with .312 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Edgar Martinez, with 2,247 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Edgar Martinez, with 1,261 to Lance Parrish's 1,070.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Edgar Martinez, with 41,586 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Lance Parrish, with 1 World Series title to Edgar Martinez's 0.
Edgar Martinez
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Edgar Martinez 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, and the 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Edgar Martinez | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,055 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,213 | 7,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,219 | 856 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,247 | 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 514 | 305 |
| Triples | 15 | Leads: 27 |
| Home Runs | 309 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,261 | 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,283 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,202 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 49 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .312 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .418 | .313 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .933 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Edgar Martinez outpaces Lance Parrish 41,586 to 6,792 — driven by per-season impact — 2,310 PIV per season to 340 — rather than by longevity, since Edgar Martinez played 18 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).
Edgar Martinez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Edgar Martinez 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 Edgar Martinez. PIV agrees: Edgar Martinez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Edgar Martinez and Lance Parrish careers compare
From 1987 through 1995, Edgar Martinez and Lance Parrish were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,055 games for Edgar Martinez and 1,988 for Lance Parrish across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lance Parrish's edges on the table are triples (27 to 15) and home runs (324 to 309). Plate discipline differs: Edgar Martinez walked more often than struck out (1,283 walks, 1,202 strikeouts), but Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). Home runs make up a larger share of Lance Parrish's hits: 309 of 2,247 for Edgar Martinez, 324 of 1,782 for Lance Parrish.
Edgar Martinez vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Edgar Martinez or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Edgar Martinez leads Lance Parrish in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Edgar Martinez or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Edgar Martinez's 309.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Edgar Martinez, with .933 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Edgar Martinez, with .312 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Edgar Martinez, with 2,247 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.