Jack Clark vs Fred Lynn: Career Stats Comparison
Jack Clark has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jack Clark played 1975–1992 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
Jack Clark (1975–1992) and Fred Lynn (1974–1990) — both debuted in the 1970s. Jack Clark finished with 1,826 hits and 340 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 leads the career comparison? Jack Clark, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Jack Clark, with 340 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jack Clark, with .854 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits? Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Jack Clark's 1,826.
- Who drove in more runs? Jack Clark, with 1,180 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jack Clark, with 30,243 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
Jack Clark
Fred Lynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jack Clark and Fred Lynn. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Jack Clark | Fred Lynn |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,994 | 1,969 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,847 | 6,925 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,118 | 1,063 |
| Hits | 1,826 | Leads: 1,960 |
| Doubles | 332 | Leads: 388 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 43 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 340 | 306 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,180 | 1,111 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,262 | 857 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,116 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 77 | 72 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .379 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .476 | Leads: .484 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .845 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jack Clark leads Fred Lynn 30,243 to 25,648 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,680 PIV per season to 1,509, across 18 seasons to 17. 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).
Jack Clark — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Jack Clark leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, home runs, RBI, walks, and others. Fred Lynn leads 5: hits, doubles, triples, batting average, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jack Clark. PIV agrees: Jack Clark grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jack Clark and Fred Lynn careers compare
From 1975 through 1990, Jack Clark and Fred Lynn were in the majors together. With 1,994 games against 1,969 across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jack Clark struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,262); Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857). Jack Clark's on-base percentage of .379 tops Fred Lynn's .360. On the peak-season lists, Jack Clark's best year is 1987 at 1.055 OPS and Fred Lynn's is 1979 at 1.059 OPS; Fred Lynn has the stronger single season.
Jack Clark vs Fred Lynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack Clark or Fred Lynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jack Clark leads Fred Lynn in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Jack Clark or Fred Lynn hit more home runs?
- Jack Clark, with 340 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jack Clark, with .854 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Jack Clark's 1,826.