Fred Lynn vs Reggie Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Reggie Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Reggie Smith played 1966–1982 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 Reggie Smith (1966–1982) — 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; Reggie Smith finished with 2,020 hits and 314 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Smith, with 314 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Smith, with .855 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average? Reggie Smith, with .287 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Reggie Smith, with 2,020 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Reggie Smith's 1,092.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Smith, with 32,131 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Smith, with 1 World Series title to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Reggie Smith
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Reggie Smith. 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 | Reggie Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,969 | Leads: 1,987 |
| At-Bats | 6,925 | Leads: 7,033 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 1,123 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 2,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 363 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 57 |
| Home Runs | 306 | Leads: 314 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,111 | 1,092 |
| Walks | 857 | Leads: 890 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,030 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .287 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .366 |
| Slugging % | .484 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .845 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Smith leads Fred Lynn 32,131 to 25,648 — driven by per-season impact — 1,785 PIV per season to 1,425 — rather than by longevity, since Reggie Smith played 18 seasons to Fred Lynn's 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
Reggie Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Reggie Smith leads in hits, home runs, runs, and stolen bases, while Fred Lynn owns RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Reggie Smith. PIV agrees: Reggie Smith 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 Reggie Smith careers compare
From 1974 through 1982, Fred Lynn and Reggie Smith were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,969 games for Fred Lynn and 1,987 for Reggie Smith across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Fred Lynn comes out ahead, it is in doubles (388 to 363) and RBI (1,111 to 1,092). At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), and Reggie Smith struck out more than walked (1,030 to 890). Reggie Smith was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Fred Lynn vs Reggie Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Reggie Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Reggie Smith leads Fred Lynn in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Reggie Smith hit more home runs?
- Reggie Smith, with 314 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Smith, with .855 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Reggie Smith, with .287 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Reggie Smith, with 2,020 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.