Don Mattingly vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Don Mattingly 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). Don Mattingly played 1982–1995 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
Don Mattingly (1982–1995) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Don Mattingly finished with 2,153 hits and 222 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 Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS? Don Mattingly, with .830 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Don Mattingly, with .307 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Don Mattingly, with 2,153 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Don Mattingly, with 1,099 to Lance Parrish's 1,070.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Don Mattingly, with 21,189 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Lance Parrish, with 1 World Series title to Don Mattingly's 0.
Don Mattingly
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Don Mattingly 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 | Don Mattingly | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,785 | Leads: 1,988 |
| At-Bats | 7,003 | Leads: 7,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,007 | 856 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,153 | 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 442 | 305 |
| Triples | 20 | Leads: 27 |
| Home Runs | 222 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,099 | 1,070 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 444 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | 14 | Leads: 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .307 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .313 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .471 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Mattingly outpaces Lance Parrish 21,189 to 6,792 — driven by per-season impact — 1,514 PIV per season to 340 — rather than by longevity, since Don Mattingly played 14 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).
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Mattingly leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Lance Parrish owns home runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Mattingly. PIV agrees: Don Mattingly grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Mattingly and Lance Parrish careers compare
Don Mattingly and Lance Parrish were active at the same time between 1982 and 1995. The two careers are close in length, 1,785 games for Don Mattingly and 1,988 for Lance Parrish across 14 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts), but 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. Don Mattingly's slugging percentage of .471 tops Lance Parrish's .440.
Don Mattingly vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Mattingly or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Mattingly leads Lance Parrish in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Don Mattingly or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Don Mattingly, with .830 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Don Mattingly, with .307 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Don Mattingly, with 2,153 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.