Bobby Bonds vs Fred Lynn: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Lynn has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Bobby Bonds played 1968–1981 as a hitter; Fred Lynn played 1974–1990 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
Bobby Bonds (1968–1981) and Fred Lynn (1974–1990) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Bonds finished with 1,886 hits and 332 home runs; Fred Lynn finished with 1,960 hits and 306 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bobby Bonds, with 332 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Bobby Bonds's .824.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Bobby Bonds's .268.
- Who had more hits? Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Bobby Bonds's 1,886.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Bobby Bonds's 1,024.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Bonds, with 25,739 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
Bobby Bonds
Fred Lynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Bonds and Fred Lynn. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Bonds | Fred Lynn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,849 | Leads: 1,969 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,043 | 6,925 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,258 | 1,063 |
| Hits | 1,886 | Leads: 1,960 |
| Doubles | 302 | Leads: 388 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 43 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 332 | 306 |
| RBI | 1,024 | Leads: 1,111 |
| Walks | Leads: 914 | 857 |
| Strikeouts | 1,757 | 1,116 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 461 | 72 |
| Batting Avg | .268 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | .353 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .471 | Leads: .484 |
| OPS | .824 | Leads: .845 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Bonds edges Fred Lynn 25,739 to 25,648 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,716 vs 1,425 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Bobby Bonds — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in hits, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Bobby Bonds owns home runs, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred Lynn. Note that PIV actually grades Bobby Bonds ahead, which means Fred Lynn's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Bobby Bonds vs Fred Lynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Bonds or Fred Lynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Lynn leads Bobby Bonds in 8 of 14 categories.
- Did Bobby Bonds or Fred Lynn hit more home runs?
- Bobby Bonds, with 332 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Bobby Bonds's .824.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Bobby Bonds's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Bobby Bonds's 1,886.