Lance Parrish vs Darrell Porter: Career Stats Comparison
Lance Parrish 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). Lance Parrish played 1977–1995 as a hitter; Darrell Porter played 1971–1987 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
Lance Parrish (1977–1995) and Darrell Porter (1971–1987) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lance Parrish finished with 1,782 hits and 324 home runs; Darrell Porter finished with 1,369 hits and 188 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lance Parrish, with 324 to Darrell Porter's 188.
- Who had the higher OPS? Darrell Porter, with .763 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lance Parrish, with .252 to Darrell Porter's .247.
- Who had more hits? Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to Darrell Porter's 1,369.
- Who drove in more runs? Lance Parrish, with 1,070 to Darrell Porter's 826.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Darrell Porter, with 10,538 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Lance Parrish
Darrell Porter
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lance Parrish and Darrell Porter. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lance Parrish | Darrell Porter |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,988 | 1,782 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,067 | 5,539 |
| Runs | Leads: 856 | 765 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,782 | 1,369 |
| Doubles | Leads: 305 | 237 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 48 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 324 | 188 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,070 | 826 |
| Walks | 612 | Leads: 905 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,527 | 1,025 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 39 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .252 | .247 |
| On-Base % | .313 | Leads: .354 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .440 | .409 |
| OPS | .753 | Leads: .763 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Darrell Porter outpaces Lance Parrish 10,538 to 6,792 — driven by per-season impact — 620 PIV per season to 340 — rather than by longevity, since Darrell Porter played 17 seasons to Lance Parrish'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).
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Darrell Porter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lance Parrish leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Darrell Porter owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lance Parrish. Note that PIV actually grades Darrell Porter ahead, which means Lance Parrish's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lance Parrish and Darrell Porter careers compare
Lance Parrish and Darrell Porter were active at the same time between 1977 and 1987. The two careers are close in length, 1,988 games for Lance Parrish and 1,782 for Darrell Porter across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612); Darrell Porter struck out more than walked (1,025 to 905). Home runs make up a larger share of Lance Parrish's hits: 324 of 1,782 for Lance Parrish, 188 of 1,369 for Darrell Porter. In slugging percentage, Lance Parrish holds the edge, .440 to .409.
Lance Parrish vs Darrell Porter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lance Parrish or Darrell Porter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lance Parrish leads Darrell Porter in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lance Parrish or Darrell Porter hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Darrell Porter's 188.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Darrell Porter, with .763 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lance Parrish, with .252 to Darrell Porter's .247.
- Who had more hits?
- Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to Darrell Porter's 1,369.