Lenny Dykstra vs Chet Lemon: Career Stats Comparison
Chet Lemon has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lenny Dykstra played 1985–1996 as a hitter; Chet Lemon played 1975–1990 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
Lenny Dykstra (1985–1996) and Chet Lemon (1975–1990) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lenny Dykstra finished with 1,298 hits and 81 home runs; Chet Lemon finished with 1,875 hits and 215 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Chet Lemon, with 215 to Lenny Dykstra's 81.
- Who had the higher OPS? Chet Lemon, with .797 to Lenny Dykstra's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lenny Dykstra, with .285 to Chet Lemon's .273.
- Who had more hits? Chet Lemon, with 1,875 to Lenny Dykstra's 1,298.
- Who drove in more runs? Chet Lemon, with 884 to Lenny Dykstra's 404.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Chet Lemon, with 17,435 career PIV to Lenny Dykstra's 10,693.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Lenny Dykstra
Chet Lemon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lenny Dykstra and Chet Lemon. 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 | Lenny Dykstra | Chet Lemon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,278 | Leads: 1,988 |
| At-Bats | 4,559 | Leads: 6,868 |
| Runs | 802 | Leads: 973 |
| Hits | 1,298 | Leads: 1,875 |
| Doubles | 281 | Leads: 396 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 61 |
| Home Runs | 81 | Leads: 215 |
| RBI | 404 | Leads: 884 |
| Walks | 640 | Leads: 749 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 503 | 1,024 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 285 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .355 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .442 |
| OPS | .793 | Leads: .797 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chet Lemon outpaces Lenny Dykstra 17,435 to 10,693 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,090 PIV per season to 823, across 16 seasons to 13. 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).
Lenny Dykstra — top 3 seasons by OPS
Chet Lemon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chet Lemon leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lenny Dykstra owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chet Lemon. PIV agrees: Chet Lemon grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lenny Dykstra and Chet Lemon careers compare
The careers of Lenny Dykstra (1985–1996) and Chet Lemon (1975–1990) overlapped from 1985 to 1990, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Lenny Dykstra appeared in 1,278 games to Chet Lemon's 1,988. The green cells for Lenny Dykstra are stolen bases (285 to 58), batting average (.285 to .273), and on-base percentage (.375 to .355). Plate discipline differs: Lenny Dykstra walked more often than struck out (640 walks, 503 strikeouts), but Chet Lemon struck out more than walked (1,024 to 749). Chet Lemon is the more power-leaning hitter, with 215 of 1,875 hits leaving the park.
Lenny Dykstra vs Chet Lemon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lenny Dykstra or Chet Lemon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chet Lemon leads Lenny Dykstra in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lenny Dykstra or Chet Lemon hit more home runs?
- Chet Lemon, with 215 to Lenny Dykstra's 81.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Chet Lemon, with .797 to Lenny Dykstra's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lenny Dykstra, with .285 to Chet Lemon's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Chet Lemon, with 1,875 to Lenny Dykstra's 1,298.