Dale Murphy vs Bernie Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Bernie Williams 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; Bernie Williams played 1991–2006 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 Bernie Williams (1991–2006) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Dale Murphy finished with 2,111 hits and 398 home runs; Bernie Williams finished with 2,336 hits and 287 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 Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bernie Williams, with .858 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bernie Williams, with .297 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Bernie Williams, with 2,336 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.
- Who drove in more runs? Dale Murphy, with 1,266 to Bernie Williams's 1,257.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dale Murphy, with 24,431 career PIV to Bernie Williams's 24,401.
- Who won more championships? Bernie Williams, with 4 World Series titles to Dale Murphy's 0.
Dale Murphy
Bernie Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dale Murphy and Bernie Williams. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dale Murphy | Bernie Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 2,076 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,960 | 7,869 |
| Runs | 1,197 | Leads: 1,366 |
| Hits | 2,111 | Leads: 2,336 |
| Doubles | 350 | Leads: 449 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 398 | 287 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,266 | 1,257 |
| Walks | 986 | Leads: 1,069 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,748 | 1,212 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 161 | 147 |
| Batting Avg | .265 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .346 | Leads: .381 |
| Slugging % | .469 | Leads: .477 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dale Murphy edges Bernie Williams 24,431 to 24,401 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dale Murphy played 19 seasons to Bernie Williams's 16, while Bernie Williams carries the higher per-season figure (1,525 to 1,286). 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
Bernie Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bernie Williams leads in hits, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Dale Murphy owns home runs, RBI, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bernie Williams. Note that PIV actually grades Dale Murphy ahead, which means Bernie Williams's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dale Murphy and Bernie Williams careers compare
From 1991 through 1993, Dale Murphy and Bernie Williams were in the majors together. With 2,180 games against 2,076 across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986); Bernie Williams struck out more than walked (1,212 to 1,069). Home runs make up a larger share of Dale Murphy's hits: 398 of 2,111 for Dale Murphy, 287 of 2,336 for Bernie Williams. Dale Murphy was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Bernie Williams holds the edge, .381 to .346.
Dale Murphy vs Bernie Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dale Murphy or Bernie Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bernie Williams leads Dale Murphy in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Dale Murphy or Bernie Williams hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bernie Williams, with .858 to Dale Murphy's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bernie Williams, with .297 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Bernie Williams, with 2,336 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.