Dale Murphy vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Dale Murphy has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Dale Murphy played 1976–1993 as a hitter; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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
Dale Murphy (1976–1993) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Dale Murphy finished with 2,111 hits and 398 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dale Murphy, with 398 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dale Murphy, with .815 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dale Murphy, with .265 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Dale Murphy's 1,266.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dale Murphy, with 24,431 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Dale Murphy's 0.
Dale Murphy
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dale Murphy and Graig Nettles. 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dale Murphy | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,180 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 7,960 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,197 | 1,193 |
| Hits | 2,111 | Leads: 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 350 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 39 | 28 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 398 | 390 |
| RBI | 1,266 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 986 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,748 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 161 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .265 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .346 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .469 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dale Murphy outpaces Graig Nettles 24,431 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,286 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Dale Murphy played 19 seasons to Graig Nettles's 22. 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).
Dale Murphy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dale Murphy leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Graig Nettles owns hits and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dale Murphy. PIV agrees: Dale Murphy grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dale Murphy and Graig Nettles careers compare
Dale Murphy and Graig Nettles were active at the same time between 1976 and 1988. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Dale Murphy and 2,700 for Graig Nettles across 19 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986); Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). On the bases, Dale Murphy stole more often per game played (161 steals in 2,180 games for Dale Murphy, 32 in 2,700 for Graig Nettles). In slugging percentage, Dale Murphy holds the edge, .469 to .421.
Dale Murphy vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dale Murphy or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dale Murphy leads Graig Nettles in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Dale Murphy or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dale Murphy, with .815 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dale Murphy, with .265 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.