Fred Lynn vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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 Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — 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; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 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 Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
Fred Lynn
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Ted Simmons. 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 | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 388 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 306 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,111 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 857 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn leads Ted Simmons 25,648 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,425 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Fred Lynn played 18 seasons to Ted Simmons's 21. 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
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Ted Simmons owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred Lynn. PIV agrees: Fred Lynn 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 Ted Simmons careers compare
From 1974 through 1988, Fred Lynn and Ted Simmons were in the majors together. With 1,969 games against 2,456 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Fred Lynn's hits: 306 of 1,960 for Fred Lynn, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons. Fred Lynn's on-base percentage of .360 tops Ted Simmons's .348. Fred Lynn owns the better peak by OPS: 1.059 OPS in 1979 for Fred Lynn against .908 OPS in 1977 for Ted Simmons.
Fred Lynn vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Fred Lynn in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.