Dave Parker vs Larry Walker: Career Stats Comparison
Larry Walker has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Larry Walker played 1989–2005 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 Larry Walker (1989–2005) — 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; Larry Walker finished with 2,160 hits and 383 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Larry Walker, with 383 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS? Larry Walker, with .965 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Larry Walker, with .313 to Dave Parker's .290.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Larry Walker's 2,160.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Larry Walker's 1,311.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Larry Walker, with 42,378 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Larry Walker's 0.
Dave Parker
Larry Walker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dave Parker and Larry Walker. 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 | Larry Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,466 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,358 | 6,907 |
| Runs | 1,272 | Leads: 1,355 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,712 | 2,160 |
| Doubles | Leads: 526 | 471 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 62 |
| Home Runs | 339 | Leads: 383 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,493 | 1,311 |
| Walks | 683 | Leads: 913 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,537 | 1,231 |
| Stolen Bases | 154 | Leads: 230 |
| Batting Avg | .290 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .400 |
| Slugging % | .471 | Leads: .565 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .965 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Larry Walker outpaces Dave Parker 42,378 to 23,542 — driven by per-season impact — 2,354 PIV per season to 1,177 — rather than by longevity, since Larry Walker played 18 seasons to Dave Parker's 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).
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Larry Walker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Larry Walker leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Dave Parker owns hits and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Larry Walker. PIV agrees: Larry Walker 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 Larry Walker careers compare
From 1989 through 1991, Dave Parker and Larry Walker were in the majors together. With 2,466 games against 1,988 across 20 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683); Larry Walker struck out more than walked (1,231 to 913). Home runs make up a larger share of Larry Walker's hits: 339 of 2,712 for Dave Parker, 383 of 2,160 for Larry Walker. Larry Walker was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Larry Walker's slugging percentage of .565 tops Dave Parker's .471.
Dave Parker vs Larry Walker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Parker or Larry Walker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Larry Walker leads Dave Parker in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Dave Parker or Larry Walker hit more home runs?
- Larry Walker, with 383 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Larry Walker, with .965 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Larry Walker, with .313 to Dave Parker's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Larry Walker's 2,160.