Jack Clark vs Fred Lynn: Career Stats Comparison
Jack Clark has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. 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 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. 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 | Jack Clark | Fred Lynn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,994 | 1,969 |
| At-Bats | 6,847 | Leads: 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 | 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,680 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).
Jack Clark — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jack Clark leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Fred Lynn owns hits and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
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 8 of 14 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.