Bobby Grich vs Fred Lynn: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Lynn 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). Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 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
Bobby Grich (1970–1986) and Fred Lynn (1974–1990) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 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? Fred Lynn, with 306 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits? Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Bobby Grich's 20,680.
- Who won more championships? Bobby Grich, with 1 World Series title to Fred Lynn's 0.
Bobby Grich
Fred Lynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Grich 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Grich | Fred Lynn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,008 | 1,969 |
| At-Bats | 6,890 | Leads: 6,925 |
| Runs | 1,033 | Leads: 1,063 |
| Hits | 1,833 | Leads: 1,960 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 388 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 43 |
| Home Runs | 224 | Leads: 306 |
| RBI | 864 | Leads: 1,111 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,087 | 857 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,278 | 1,116 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 104 | 72 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .424 | Leads: .484 |
| OPS | .794 | Leads: .845 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn leads Bobby Grich 25,648 to 20,680 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,425 PIV per season to 1,216, across 18 seasons to 17. 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).
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Grich owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred Lynn. PIV agrees: Fred Lynn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Grich and Fred Lynn careers compare
The careers of Bobby Grich (1970–1986) and Fred Lynn (1974–1990) overlapped from 1974 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,008 games against 1,969 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087); Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857). On the bases, Bobby Grich stole more often per game played (104 steals in 2,008 games for Bobby Grich, 72 in 1,969 for Fred Lynn). Fred Lynn's slugging percentage of .484 tops Bobby Grich's .424.
Bobby Grich vs Fred Lynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Grich or Fred Lynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Lynn leads Bobby Grich in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Grich or Fred Lynn hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.