Dave Parker vs Darryl Strawberry: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker 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). Dave Parker played 1973–1991 as a hitter; Darryl Strawberry played 1983–1999 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
Dave Parker (1973–1991) and Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs; Darryl Strawberry finished with 1,401 hits and 335 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Darryl Strawberry's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS? Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,000.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Parker, with 23,542 career PIV to Darryl Strawberry's 22,150.
- Who won more championships? Darryl Strawberry, with 4 World Series titles to Dave Parker's 2.
Dave Parker
Darryl Strawberry
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dave Parker and Darryl Strawberry. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dave Parker | Darryl Strawberry |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,466 | 1,583 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,358 | 5,418 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,272 | 898 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,712 | 1,401 |
| Doubles | Leads: 526 | 256 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 38 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 339 | 335 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,493 | 1,000 |
| Walks | 683 | Leads: 816 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,537 | 1,352 |
| Stolen Bases | 154 | Leads: 221 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .290 | .259 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | .471 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .862 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Parker edges Darryl Strawberry 23,542 to 22,150 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dave Parker played 20 seasons to Darryl Strawberry's 17, while Darryl Strawberry carries the higher per-season figure (1,303 to 1,177). 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).
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Darryl Strawberry — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Darryl Strawberry owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. PIV agrees: Dave Parker grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dave Parker and Darryl Strawberry careers compare
The careers of Dave Parker (1973–1991) and Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) overlapped from 1983 to 1991, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Dave Parker appeared in 2,466 games to Darryl Strawberry's 1,583. Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683); Darryl Strawberry struck out more than walked (1,352 to 816). Darryl Strawberry is the more power-leaning hitter, with 335 of 1,401 hits leaving the park. Darryl Strawberry was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Darryl Strawberry's slugging percentage of .505 tops Dave Parker's .471.
Dave Parker vs Darryl Strawberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Parker or Darryl Strawberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Darryl Strawberry in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Dave Parker or Darryl Strawberry hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Darryl Strawberry's 335.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.