Fred Lynn vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Fred Lynn played 1974–1990 as a hitter; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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 Dave Parker (1973–1991) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Fred Lynn finished with 1,960 hits and 306 home runs; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Dave Parker. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred Lynn | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 2,466 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 9,358 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 2,712 |
| Doubles | 388 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 306 | Leads: 339 |
| RBI | 1,111 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | Leads: 857 | 683 |
| Strikeouts | 1,116 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .339 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .810 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn leads Dave Parker 25,648 to 23,542 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,425 vs 1,177 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Fred Lynn owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. Note that PIV actually grades Fred Lynn ahead, which means Dave Parker's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Fred Lynn vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Fred Lynn in 10 of 14 categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.