Fred Lynn vs Ken Singleton: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Lynn has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Ken Singleton played 1970–1984 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 Ken Singleton (1970–1984) — both debuted in the 1970s. Fred Lynn finished with 1,960 hits and 306 home runs; Ken Singleton finished with 2,029 hits and 246 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Fred Lynn, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Fred Lynn, with 306 to Ken Singleton's 246.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Ken Singleton's .824.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Ken Singleton's .282.
- Who had more hits? Ken Singleton, with 2,029 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Ken Singleton's 1,065.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Singleton, with 29,530 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
Fred Lynn
Ken Singleton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Ken Singleton. 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 | Ken Singleton |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,969 | 2,082 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,925 | 7,189 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,063 | 985 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 2,029 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 317 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 306 | 246 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,111 | 1,065 |
| Walks | 857 | Leads: 1,263 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,246 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .283 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .436 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .824 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Singleton leads Fred Lynn 29,530 to 25,648 — driven by per-season impact — 1,969 PIV per season to 1,509 — rather than by longevity, since Ken Singleton played 15 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
Ken Singleton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Fred Lynn leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, doubles, triples, home runs, and others. Ken Singleton leads 3: hits, walks, and on-base percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred Lynn. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Ken Singleton higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred Lynn and Ken Singleton careers compare
From 1974 through 1984, Fred Lynn and Ken Singleton were in the majors together. With 1,969 games against 2,082 across 17 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Ken Singleton are hits (2,029 to 1,960), walks (1,263 to 857), and on-base percentage (.388 to .360). At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), while Ken Singleton walked more often than struck out (1,263 walks, 1,246 strikeouts). Fred Lynn's slugging percentage of .484 tops Ken Singleton's .436.
Fred Lynn vs Ken Singleton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Ken Singleton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Lynn leads Ken Singleton in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Ken Singleton hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Ken Singleton's 246.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Ken Singleton's .824.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Ken Singleton's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Singleton, with 2,029 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.