Chili Davis vs Fred Lynn: Career Stats Comparison
Chili Davis has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Chili Davis played 1981–1999 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
Chili Davis (1981–1999) and Fred Lynn (1974–1990) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Chili Davis finished with 2,380 hits and 350 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? Chili Davis, with 350 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Chili Davis's .811.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Chili Davis's .274.
- Who had more hits? Chili Davis, with 2,380 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Chili Davis, with 1,372 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Chili Davis's 21,833.
- Who won more championships? Chili Davis, with 3 World Series titles to Fred Lynn's 0.
Chili Davis
Fred Lynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Chili Davis 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 | Chili Davis | Fred Lynn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,436 | 1,969 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,673 | 6,925 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,240 | 1,063 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,380 | 1,960 |
| Doubles | Leads: 424 | 388 |
| Triples | 30 | Leads: 43 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 350 | 306 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,372 | 1,111 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,194 | 857 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,698 | 1,116 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 72 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .451 | Leads: .484 |
| OPS | .811 | Leads: .845 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn leads Chili Davis 25,648 to 21,833 — driven by per-season impact — 1,425 PIV per season to 1,149 — rather than by longevity, since Fred Lynn played 18 seasons to Chili Davis'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).
Chili Davis — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chili Davis leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Fred Lynn owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chili Davis. Note that PIV actually grades Fred Lynn ahead, which means Chili Davis's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Chili Davis and Fred Lynn careers compare
The careers of Chili Davis (1981–1999) and Fred Lynn (1974–1990) overlapped from 1981 to 1990, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,436 games against 1,969 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Chili Davis struck out more than walked (1,698 to 1,194); Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857). On the bases, Chili Davis stole more often per game played (142 steals in 2,436 games for Chili Davis, 72 in 1,969 for Fred Lynn). In slugging percentage, Fred Lynn holds the edge, .484 to .451.
Chili Davis vs Fred Lynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chili Davis or Fred Lynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chili Davis leads Fred Lynn in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Chili Davis or Fred Lynn hit more home runs?
- Chili Davis, with 350 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Chili Davis's .811.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Chili Davis's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Chili Davis, with 2,380 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.