Fred Lynn vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice 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; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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 Jim Rice (1974–1989) — 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; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Rice, with 382 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
Fred Lynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Jim Rice. 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 | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 2,089 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 8,225 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 1,249 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 373 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | 306 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | 1,111 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 857 | 670 |
| Strikeouts | 1,116 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .484 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .845 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice leads Fred Lynn 31,418 to 25,648 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,964 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
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Rice leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Fred Lynn owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Rice. PIV agrees: Jim Rice grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Fred Lynn vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Rice leads Fred Lynn in 10 of 14 categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Rice, with 2,452 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.