Barry Larkin vs Fred Lynn: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Larkin has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 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
Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Fred Lynn (1974–1990) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 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 Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Larkin, with .295 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Barry Larkin, with 1 World Series title to Fred Lynn's 0.
Barry Larkin
Fred Lynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin 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 | Barry Larkin | Fred Lynn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 1,969 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 6,925 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 1,063 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 1,960 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 388 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 43 |
| Home Runs | 198 | Leads: 306 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,111 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 857 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,116 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 72 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .283 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .484 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .845 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn outpaces Barry Larkin 25,648 to 17,788 — driven by per-season impact — 1,425 PIV per season to 936 — rather than by longevity, since Fred Lynn played 18 seasons to Barry Larkin'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).
Barry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Larkin leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Fred Lynn owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Barry Larkin. Note that PIV actually grades Fred Lynn ahead, which means Barry Larkin's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Barry Larkin and Fred Lynn careers compare
From 1986 through 1990, Barry Larkin and Fred Lynn were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Barry Larkin and 1,969 for Fred Lynn across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Fred Lynn are home runs (306 to 198), RBI (1,111 to 960), and slugging percentage (.484 to .444). At the plate, Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts), while Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857).
Barry Larkin vs Fred Lynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Fred Lynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Fred Lynn in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Fred Lynn hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Larkin, with .295 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.