Lenny Dykstra vs Tim Salmon: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Salmon 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; Tim Salmon played 1992–2006 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 Tim Salmon (1992–2006) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lenny Dykstra finished with 1,298 hits and 81 home runs; Tim Salmon finished with 1,674 hits and 299 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Tim Salmon, with 299 to Lenny Dykstra's 81.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tim Salmon, with .884 to Lenny Dykstra's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lenny Dykstra, with .285 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits? Tim Salmon, with 1,674 to Lenny Dykstra's 1,298.
- Who drove in more runs? Tim Salmon, with 1,016 to Lenny Dykstra's 404.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tim Salmon, with 22,790 career PIV to Lenny Dykstra's 10,693.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Lenny Dykstra
Tim Salmon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lenny Dykstra and Tim Salmon. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lenny Dykstra | Tim Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,278 | Leads: 1,672 |
| At-Bats | 4,559 | Leads: 5,934 |
| Runs | 802 | Leads: 986 |
| Hits | 1,298 | Leads: 1,674 |
| Doubles | 281 | Leads: 339 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 81 | Leads: 299 |
| RBI | 404 | Leads: 1,016 |
| Walks | 640 | Leads: 970 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 503 | 1,360 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 285 | 48 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .375 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .498 |
| OPS | .793 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Salmon outpaces Lenny Dykstra 22,790 to 10,693 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,628 PIV per season to 823, across 14 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
Tim Salmon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Salmon leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lenny Dykstra owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Salmon. PIV agrees: Tim Salmon 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 Tim Salmon careers compare
From 1992 through 1996, Lenny Dykstra and Tim Salmon were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,278 games for Lenny Dykstra and 1,672 for Tim Salmon across 13 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Lenny Dykstra comes out ahead, it is in triples (43 to 24), stolen bases (285 to 48), and batting average (.285 to .282). Plate discipline differs: Lenny Dykstra walked more often than struck out (640 walks, 503 strikeouts), but Tim Salmon struck out more than walked (1,360 to 970).
Lenny Dykstra vs Tim Salmon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lenny Dykstra or Tim Salmon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Salmon leads Lenny Dykstra in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lenny Dykstra or Tim Salmon hit more home runs?
- Tim Salmon, with 299 to Lenny Dykstra's 81.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tim Salmon, with .884 to Lenny Dykstra's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lenny Dykstra, with .285 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Salmon, with 1,674 to Lenny Dykstra's 1,298.