Dale Murphy vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dale Murphy played 1976–1993 as a hitter; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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 Jim Rice (1974–1989) — both debuted in the 1970s. Dale Murphy finished with 2,111 hits and 398 home runs; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jim Rice, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Dale Murphy, with 398 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Dale Murphy's 1,266.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Dale Murphy's 24,431.
Dale Murphy
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dale Murphy and Jim Rice. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Dale Murphy | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,180 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,960 | 8,225 |
| Runs | 1,197 | Leads: 1,249 |
| Hits | 2,111 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | 350 | Leads: 373 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 398 | 382 |
| RBI | 1,266 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 986 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,748 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 161 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .265 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | .346 | Leads: .352 |
| Slugging % | .469 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice leads Dale Murphy 31,418 to 24,431 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 1,357 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Dale Murphy's 18. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Jim Rice leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Dale Murphy leads 3: home runs, walks, and stolen bases. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Rice. PIV agrees: Jim Rice 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 Jim Rice careers compare
Dale Murphy and Jim Rice were active at the same time between 1976 and 1989. With 2,180 games against 2,089 across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Dale Murphy comes out ahead, it is in home runs (398 to 382), walks (986 to 670), and stolen bases (161 to 58). At the plate, Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986), and Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Dale Murphy was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Jim Rice holds the edge, .502 to .469.
Dale Murphy vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dale Murphy or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Dale Murphy in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Dale Murphy or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.