Fred Lynn vs Lance Parrish: 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; Lance Parrish played 1977–1995 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 Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — 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; Lance Parrish finished with 1,782 hits and 324 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lance Parrish, with 324 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Lance Parrish's 1,070.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Lance Parrish, with 1 World Series title to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Lance Parrish. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred Lynn | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 1,988 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 7,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,063 | 856 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,960 | 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 305 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 306 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,111 | 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 857 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .283 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .313 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn outpaces Lance Parrish 25,648 to 6,792 — driven by per-season impact — 1,425 PIV per season to 340 — rather than by longevity, since Fred Lynn played 18 seasons to Lance Parrish's 20. 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
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Lance Parrish owns home runs. 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 Lance Parrish careers compare
The careers of Fred Lynn (1974–1990) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) overlapped from 1977 to 1990, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,969 games for Fred Lynn and 1,988 for Lance Parrish across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Lance Parrish comes out ahead, it is in games (1,988 to 1,969), at-bats (7,067 to 6,925), and home runs (324 to 306). Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857); Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). Fred Lynn's slugging percentage of .484 tops Lance Parrish's .440.
Fred Lynn vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Lynn leads Lance Parrish in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.