Dwayne Murphy
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1978-1989)
Dwayne Murphy was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1978 to 1989 for the Athletics, the Detroit Tigers, and the Philadelphia Phillies, a span of 12 seasons. In 1,360 career games, he hit .246 with 1,069 hits, 166 home runs, and 609 RBI. Dwayne Murphy was a 6-time Gold Glove. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 7,578.
- 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
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1978-04-08
- Last Game
- 1989-10-01
- Awards
- 6× Gold Glove
Full name: Dwayne Keith Murphy
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,360 | 4,347 | 648 | 1,069 | 139 | 20 | 166 | 609 | 100 | 747 | 953 | .246 | .356 | .402 | .757 | 7,578 |
Career AVG .246 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — 5.2% below league average.
Career OBP .356 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — +9.7% above league average.
Career SLG .402 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .757 vs. league average .712 across their career seasons — +6.3% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | OAK | AL | 60 | 52 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 14 | .192 | .257 (-25%) | .323 (-14%) | .378 (-39%) | .702 (-27%) | -223.8 |
| 1979 | OAK | AL | 121 | 388 | 57 | 99 | 10 | 4 | 11 | 40 | 15 | 84 | 80 | .255 | .265 (-4%) | .329 (+17%) | .397 (-3%) | .727 (+6%) | 844.3 |
| 1980 | OAK | AL | 159 | 573 | 86 | 157 | 18 | 2 | 13 | 68 | 26 | 102 | 96 | .274 | .264 (+4%) | .326 (+18%) | .387 (-2%) | .714 (+7%) | 1332.2 |
| 1981 | OAK | AL | 107 | 390 | 58 | 98 | 10 | 3 | 15 | 60 | 10 | 73 | 91 | .251 | .255 (-2%) | .320 (+15%) | .368 (+11%) | .688 (+13%) | 1164.0 |
| 1982 | OAK | AL | 151 | 543 | 84 | 129 | 15 | 1 | 27 | 94 | 26 | 94 | 122 | .238 | .261 (-9%) | .324 (+8%) | .388 (+8%) | .712 (+8%) | 1060.6 |
| 1983 | OAK | AL | 130 | 471 | 55 | 107 | 17 | 2 | 17 | 75 | 7 | 62 | 105 | .227 | .260 (-13%) | .324 (-4%) | .389 (-2%) | .714 (-3%) | -195.7 |
| 1984 | OAK | AL | 153 | 559 | 93 | 143 | 18 | 2 | 33 | 88 | 4 | 74 | 111 | .256 | .259 (-2%) | .322 (+6%) | .384 (+23%) | .707 (+15%) | 1727.5 |
| 1985 | OAK | AL | 152 | 523 | 77 | 122 | 21 | 3 | 20 | 59 | 4 | 84 | 123 | .233 | .257 (-9%) | .323 (+5%) | .390 (+2%) | .714 (+4%) | 566.1 |
| 1986 | OAK | AL | 98 | 329 | 50 | 83 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 39 | 3 | 56 | 80 | .252 | .257 (-2%) | .325 (+12%) | .395 (-2%) | .720 (+4%) | 422.0 |
| 1987 | OAK | AL | 82 | 219 | 39 | 51 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 35 | 4 | 58 | 61 | .233 | .262 (-11%) | .331 (+17%) | .415 (-10%) | .746 (+2%) | 313.4 |
| 1988 | DET | AL | 49 | 144 | 14 | 36 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 1 | 24 | 26 | .250 | .254 (-2%) | .317 (+14%) | .377 (-3%) | .695 (+5%) | 213.6 |
| 1989 | PHI | NL | 98 | 156 | 20 | 34 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 27 | 0 | 29 | 44 | .218 | .254 (-14%) | .319 (+7%) | .375 (+13%) | .694 (+10%) | 353.7 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 1,360 | 4,347 | 648 | 1,069 | 139 | 20 | 166 | 609 | 100 | 747 | 953 | .246 | — | — | — | — | 7,578 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1360 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 684 | 2113 | 305 | 495 | 73 | 260 | .234 |
| Away | 676 | 2234 | 343 | 574 | 93 | 349 | .257 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-10-01 | PHI | WSN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-09-27 | PHI | NYN | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-24 | PHI | STL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-21 | PHI | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-09-18 | PHI | PIT | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1989-09-17 | PHI | STL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-17 | PHI | STL | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989-09-15 | PHI | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-13 | PHI | NYN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-11 | PHI | NYN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 1272 | 1186 | 3579 | 80 | 47 | 11 |
| SS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | OAK | OF | 45 | 7 | 49 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1979 | OAK | OF | 118 | 117 | 322 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| 1980 | OAK | OF | 158 | 156 | 507 | 13 | 5 | 0 |
| 1981 | OAK | OF | 106 | 106 | 326 | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| 1982 | OAK | OF | 147 | 144 | 452 | 14 | 8 | 3 |
| 1982 | OAK | SS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | OAK | OF | 124 | 121 | 365 | 7 | 8 | 0 |
| 1984 | OAK | OF | 153 | 151 | 474 | 14 | 6 | 2 |
| 1985 | OAK | OF | 150 | 146 | 432 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| 1986 | OAK | OF | 97 | 93 | 276 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
| 1987 | OAK | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | OAK | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | OAK | OF | 79 | 70 | 185 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 1988 | DET | OF | 43 | 39 | 122 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | PHI | OF | 52 | 36 | 69 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1 |
| Second Base | 1 |
| Shortstop | 1 |
| Left Field | 59 |
| Center Field | 1179 |
| Right Field | 45 |
| Designated Hitter | 19 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1984 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1983 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1982 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1981 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1981 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1980 | Gold Glove | OF |
Salary History
Dwayne Murphy's recorded salaries total $2,904,982 over 4 seasons, 1985 to 1989. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Murphy's career ran from 1978 to 1989. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1988.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | PHI | NL | $400,000 |
| 1987 | OAK | AL | $759,000 |
| 1986 | OAK | AL | $900,149 |
| 1985 | OAK | AL | $845,833 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $2,904,982 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 45.0 | 392 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Dwayne Murphy (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Dwayne Murphy: the record in brief
The profile opens with Dwayne Murphy's first major league game on April 8, 1978; the last one listed came on October 1, 1989. Club by club, the record runs the Oakland Athletics (1978 to 1987), the Detroit Tigers (1988), and the Philadelphia Phillies (1989). At 6 feet, 1 inch and 185 pounds, Murphy is listed as an outfielder. Murphy threw right-handed and batted left-handed, per the bio block. Murphy was born on March 18, 1955, in Merced, CA, USA. The given name on file is Dwayne Keith Murphy.
Across 1,360 games at the plate, Murphy's career line reads 1,069 hits in 4,347 at bats for a .246 average, adding 166 homers, 609 RBI, and 100 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .356 clip and slugging .402, Murphy finished with a .757 OPS. Measured against the leagues Murphy played in, the .246 career average compares with a .259 league average over the same seasons, 5.2% below the league. 1984 was Murphy's biggest home run year, with 33.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dwayne Murphy
- What years did Dwayne Murphy play?
- Dwayne Murphy played in Major League Baseball from 1978 to 1989.
- Was Dwayne Murphy a pitcher?
- No. Dwayne Murphy was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Dwayne Murphy hit?
- Dwayne Murphy hit 166 career home runs with 1,069 hits.
- What teams did Dwayne Murphy play for?
- Dwayne Murphy played for 3 teams: the Oakland Athletics (1978–1987), the Detroit Tigers (1988), and the Philadelphia Phillies (1989).
- What awards did Dwayne Murphy win?
- Dwayne Murphy won 6 Gold Gloves (1980–1985).
- What were Dwayne Murphy's career stats?
- In 1,360 games, Dwayne Murphy had 1,069 hits, 166 home runs, 609 RBI, 648 runs, and 100 stolen bases, with a .246 batting average.
- How much did Dwayne Murphy earn in his career?
- Dwayne Murphy's recorded salaries total $2,904,982 over 4 seasons, 1985 to 1989. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Murphy's career ran from 1978 to 1989. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1988.
- What was Dwayne Murphy's salary?
- Dwayne Murphy's last recorded salary was $400,000, in 1989. His highest recorded salary was $900,149, in 1986, and his lowest was $400,000, in 1989. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1989.
- What position did Dwayne Murphy play?
- Dwayne Murphy played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Dwayne Murphy and how much did he weigh?
- Dwayne Murphy was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 185 pounds.
- How many home runs did Dwayne Murphy hit each season?
- Dwayne Murphy's home runs by season: 0 in 1978, 11 in 1979, 13 in 1980, 15 in 1981, 27 in 1982, 17 in 1983, 33 in 1984, 20 in 1985, 9 in 1986, 8 in 1987, 4 in 1988, and 9 in 1989. His most in one season was 33, in 1984.
- What was Dwayne Murphy's career batting average?
- Dwayne Murphy batted .246 over his career, with 1,069 hits in 4,347 at bats.
- How many RBI did Dwayne Murphy have?
- Dwayne Murphy drove in 609 runs in his career.
- Is Dwayne Murphy in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Dwayne Murphy has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.