Fred Lynn vs Tim Raines: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Raines 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; Tim Raines played 1979–2002 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 Tim Raines (1979–2002) — 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; Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 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 Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tim Raines, with .294 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Tim Raines's 980.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tim Raines, with 25,763 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
- Who won more championships? Tim Raines, with 2 World Series titles to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Tim Raines
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Tim Raines. 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 | Tim Raines |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 2,502 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 8,872 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 1,571 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 2,605 |
| Doubles | 388 | Leads: 430 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 306 | 170 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,111 | 980 |
| Walks | 857 | Leads: 1,330 |
| Strikeouts | 1,116 | 966 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 808 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .425 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .810 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Raines edges Fred Lynn 25,763 to 25,648 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,073 vs 1,425 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
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Raines leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Fred Lynn owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Raines. PIV agrees: Tim Raines grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Fred Lynn vs Tim Raines: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Tim Raines?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Raines leads Fred Lynn in 10 of 14 categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Tim Raines hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tim Raines, with .294 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.