Fred Lynn vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Fred Lynn finished with 1,960 hits and 306 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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 Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Pete Rose. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred Lynn | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 388 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 306 | 160 |
| RBI | 1,111 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 857 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Fred Lynn 40,772 to 25,648 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 1,425, across 25 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Fred Lynn owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
Fred Lynn and Pete Rose were active at the same time between 1974 and 1986. Pete Rose has the far longer record, 3,562 games against 1,969 across 18 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Fred Lynn comes out ahead, it is in home runs (306 to 160), slugging percentage (.484 to .409), and OPS (.845 to .784). At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), while Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Fred Lynn's hits: 306 of 1,960 for Fred Lynn, 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose.
Fred Lynn vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Fred Lynn in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.