Fred Lynn vs Ken Singleton: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Lynn has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. 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 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.
- Who won more championships? Ken Singleton, with 1 World Series title to Fred Lynn's 0.
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. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred Lynn | Ken Singleton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 2,082 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 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 | 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,969 vs 1,425 per year). 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
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ken Singleton owns hits and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred Lynn. Note that PIV actually grades Ken Singleton ahead, which means Fred Lynn's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
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 14 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.