Bobby Bonilla vs Fred Lynn: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Bonilla 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). Bobby Bonilla played 1986–2001 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 Bonilla (1986–2001) and Fred Lynn (1974–1990) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Bonilla finished with 2,010 hits and 287 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? Fred Lynn, with 306 to Bobby Bonilla's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Bobby Bonilla's .829.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Bobby Bonilla's .279.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Bonilla, with 2,010 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Bobby Bonilla, with 1,173 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Bobby Bonilla's 19,507.
- Who won more championships? Bobby Bonilla, with 1 World Series title to Fred Lynn's 0.
Bobby Bonilla
Fred Lynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Bonilla and Fred Lynn. 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Bonilla | Fred Lynn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,113 | 1,969 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,213 | 6,925 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,084 | 1,063 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,010 | 1,960 |
| Doubles | Leads: 408 | 388 |
| Triples | Leads: 61 | 43 |
| Home Runs | 287 | Leads: 306 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,173 | 1,111 |
| Walks | Leads: 912 | 857 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,204 | 1,116 |
| Stolen Bases | 45 | Leads: 72 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .472 | Leads: .484 |
| OPS | .829 | Leads: .845 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn leads Bobby Bonilla 25,648 to 19,507 — driven by per-season impact — 1,425 PIV per season to 1,027 — rather than by longevity, since Fred Lynn played 18 seasons to Bobby Bonilla's 19. 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).
Bobby Bonilla — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in home runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Bobby Bonilla owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred Lynn. PIV agrees: Fred Lynn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Bonilla and Fred Lynn careers compare
From 1986 through 1990, Bobby Bonilla and Fred Lynn were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,113 games for Bobby Bonilla and 1,969 for Fred Lynn across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Bobby Bonilla struck out more than walked (1,204 to 912); Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857). Fred Lynn owns the better peak by OPS: .984 OPS in 1995 for Bobby Bonilla against 1.059 OPS in 1979 for Fred Lynn.
Bobby Bonilla vs Fred Lynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Bonilla or Fred Lynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bobby Bonilla leads Fred Lynn in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Bonilla or Fred Lynn hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Bobby Bonilla's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Bobby Bonilla's .829.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Bobby Bonilla's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Bonilla, with 2,010 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.