Fred Lynn vs Paul O'Neill: Career Stats Comparison
Paul O'Neill 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). Fred Lynn played 1974–1990 as a hitter; Paul O'Neill played 1985–2001 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 Paul O'Neill (1985–2001) — 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; Paul O'Neill finished with 2,105 hits and 281 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 Paul O'Neill's 281.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Paul O'Neill's .833.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul O'Neill, with .288 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Paul O'Neill, with 2,105 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul O'Neill, with 1,269 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Paul O'Neill's 18,817.
- Who won more championships? Paul O'Neill, with 5 World Series titles to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Paul O'Neill
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Paul O'Neill. 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 | Paul O'Neill |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 2,053 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 7,318 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,063 | 1,041 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 2,105 |
| Doubles | 388 | Leads: 451 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 21 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 306 | 281 |
| RBI | 1,111 | Leads: 1,269 |
| Walks | 857 | Leads: 892 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,166 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 141 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .288 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .363 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .470 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .833 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn outpaces Paul O'Neill 25,648 to 18,817 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,425 PIV per season to 1,107, 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).
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul O'Neill — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul O'Neill leads in hits, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Fred Lynn owns home runs, runs, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul O'Neill. Note that PIV actually grades Fred Lynn ahead, which means Paul O'Neill's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred Lynn and Paul O'Neill careers compare
From 1985 through 1990, Fred Lynn and Paul O'Neill were in the majors together. With 1,969 games against 2,053 across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857); Paul O'Neill struck out more than walked (1,166 to 892). Paul O'Neill was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Paul O'Neill holds the edge, .363 to .360. Best seasons: 1979 for Fred Lynn (1.059 OPS, 39 HR, 122 RBI, .333 avg) and 1994 for Paul O'Neill (1.064 OPS, 21 HR, 83 RBI, .359 avg).
Fred Lynn vs Paul O'Neill: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Paul O'Neill?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul O'Neill leads Fred Lynn in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Paul O'Neill hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Paul O'Neill's 281.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Paul O'Neill's .833.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul O'Neill, with .288 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul O'Neill, with 2,105 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.