Fred Lynn vs Mark McGwire: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Lynn and Mark McGwire are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Fred Lynn played 1974–1990 as a hitter; Mark McGwire played 1986–2001 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
Fred Lynn (1974–1990) and Mark McGwire (1986–2001) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Fred Lynn finished with 1,960 hits and 306 home runs; Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mark McGwire, with 583 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Mark McGwire, with 1,414 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
- Who won more championships? Mark McGwire, with 1 World Series title to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Mark McGwire
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Mark McGwire. 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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred Lynn | Mark McGwire |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,969 | 1,874 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,925 | 6,187 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 1,167 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,960 | 1,626 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 252 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 6 |
| Home Runs | 306 | Leads: 583 |
| RBI | 1,111 | Leads: 1,414 |
| Walks | 857 | Leads: 1,317 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,596 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .283 | .263 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .394 |
| Slugging % | .484 | Leads: .588 |
| OPS | .845 | Leads: .982 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire outpaces Fred Lynn 44,531 to 25,648 — driven by per-season impact — 2,620 PIV per season to 1,425 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 17 seasons to Fred Lynn's 18. 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).
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark McGwire leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Fred Lynn owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mark McGwire. PIV agrees: Mark McGwire grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred Lynn and Mark McGwire careers compare
From 1986 through 1990, Fred Lynn and Mark McGwire were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,969 games for Fred Lynn and 1,874 for Mark McGwire across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), and Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 306 of 1,960 for Fred Lynn, 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire. Mark McGwire's slugging percentage of .588 tops Fred Lynn's .484.
Fred Lynn vs Mark McGwire: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Fred Lynn or Mark McGwire hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.