Fred Lynn vs Frank Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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 Frank Robinson (1956–1976) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Fred Lynn finished with 1,960 hits and 306 home runs; Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Robinson, with .294 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
- Who won more championships? Frank Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Frank Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Frank Robinson. 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, and the 1970s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred Lynn | Frank Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 2,808 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 10,006 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 1,829 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 2,943 |
| Doubles | 388 | Leads: 528 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 306 | Leads: 586 |
| RBI | 1,111 | Leads: 1,812 |
| Walks | 857 | Leads: 1,420 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,532 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 204 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .389 |
| Slugging % | .484 | Leads: .537 |
| OPS | .845 | Leads: .926 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Fred Lynn 67,113 to 25,648 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,051 PIV per season to 1,425, across 22 seasons to 18. 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
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Frank Robinson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Fred Lynn owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson 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 Frank Robinson careers compare
From 1974 through 1976, Fred Lynn and Frank Robinson were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,969 games for Fred Lynn and 2,808 for Frank Robinson across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Frank Robinson leads every scored row of the table. At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), and Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420). On the bases, Frank Robinson stole more often per game played (72 steals in 1,969 games for Fred Lynn, 204 in 2,808 for Frank Robinson). In slugging percentage, Frank Robinson holds the edge, .537 to .484.
Fred Lynn vs Frank Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Frank Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Fred Lynn in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Frank Robinson hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Robinson, with .294 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.