Fred Lynn vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Rice has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 1970s. 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 leads the career comparison? Jim Rice, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- 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. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,969 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,925 | 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 not scored | 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 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 1,509 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Fred Lynn's 17. 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
Jim Rice leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, triples, home runs, and others. Fred Lynn leads 4: doubles, walks, stolen bases, and on-base percentage. 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
How the Fred Lynn and Jim Rice careers compare
Fred Lynn and Jim Rice were active at the same time between 1974 and 1989. The two careers are close in length, 1,969 games for Fred Lynn and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Fred Lynn's edges on the table are doubles (388 to 373), walks (857 to 670), and stolen bases (72 to 58). At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), and Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Fred Lynn owns the better peak by OPS: 1.059 OPS in 1979 for Fred Lynn against .977 OPS in 1979 for Jim Rice.
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 8 of the 12 scored 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.