Fred Lynn vs Kevin Mitchell: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Lynn 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). Fred Lynn played 1974–1990 as a hitter; Kevin Mitchell played 1984–1998 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 Kevin Mitchell (1984–1998) — 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; Kevin Mitchell finished with 1,173 hits and 234 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 Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kevin Mitchell, with .284 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Kevin Mitchell's 760.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Kevin Mitchell's 17,577.
- Who won more championships? Kevin Mitchell, with 1 World Series title to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Kevin Mitchell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Kevin Mitchell. 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 | Kevin Mitchell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,969 | 1,223 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,925 | 4,134 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,063 | 630 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,960 | 1,173 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 224 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 306 | 234 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,111 | 760 |
| Walks | Leads: 857 | 491 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 719 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 30 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .484 | Leads: .520 |
| OPS | .845 | Leads: .880 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn outpaces Kevin Mitchell 25,648 to 17,577 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,425 PIV per season to 1,172, across 18 seasons to 15. 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
Kevin Mitchell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Kevin Mitchell owns batting average and OPS. 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 Fred Lynn and Kevin Mitchell careers compare
Fred Lynn and Kevin Mitchell were active at the same time between 1984 and 1990. The table compares 1,969 games of Fred Lynn with 1,223 of Kevin Mitchell across 18 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Kevin Mitchell comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.284 to .283), slugging percentage (.520 to .484), and OPS (.880 to .845). At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), and Kevin Mitchell struck out more than walked (719 to 491). In on-base percentage, Fred Lynn holds the edge, .360 to .360.
Fred Lynn vs Kevin Mitchell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Kevin Mitchell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Lynn leads Kevin Mitchell in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Kevin Mitchell hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kevin Mitchell, with .284 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.