Fred McGriff vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 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
Fred McGriff (1986–2004) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 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? Fred McGriff, with 493 to Lance Parrish's 324.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred McGriff, with .284 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Lance Parrish's 1,070.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Fred McGriff
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred McGriff 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 | Fred McGriff | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,460 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,757 | 7,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,349 | 856 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,490 | 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 305 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 27 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 324 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,550 | 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,305 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,882 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .377 | .313 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .886 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff outpaces Lance Parrish 37,233 to 6,792 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,773 PIV per season to 340, across 21 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).
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred McGriff leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lance Parrish owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. PIV agrees: Fred McGriff grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred McGriff and Lance Parrish careers compare
From 1986 through 1995, Fred McGriff and Lance Parrish were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,460 games for Fred McGriff and 1,988 for Lance Parrish across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Lance Parrish comes out ahead, it is in triples (27 to 24). At the plate, Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305), and Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). Best seasons: 1994 for Fred McGriff (1.012 OPS, 34 HR, 94 RBI, .318 avg) and 1982 for Lance Parrish (.867 OPS, 32 HR, 87 RBI, .284 avg).
Fred McGriff vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred McGriff or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Lance Parrish in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred McGriff or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Lance Parrish's 324.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred McGriff, with .284 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.