Fred Lynn vs Darryl Strawberry: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Lynn has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Darryl Strawberry played 1983–1999 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 Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Fred Lynn finished with 1,960 hits and 306 home runs; Darryl Strawberry finished with 1,401 hits and 335 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Darryl Strawberry, with 335 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits? Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,000.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Darryl Strawberry's 22,150.
- Who won more championships? Darryl Strawberry, with 4 World Series titles to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Darryl Strawberry
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Darryl Strawberry. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred Lynn | Darryl Strawberry |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,969 | 1,583 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,925 | 5,418 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,063 | 898 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,960 | 1,401 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 256 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 306 | Leads: 335 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,111 | 1,000 |
| Walks | Leads: 857 | 816 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,352 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 221 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .283 | .259 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .357 |
| Slugging % | .484 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .845 | Leads: .862 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn leads Darryl Strawberry 25,648 to 22,150 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,425 PIV per season to 1,303, across 18 seasons to 17. 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
Darryl Strawberry — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Darryl Strawberry owns home runs, stolen bases, and OPS. 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 Darryl Strawberry careers compare
From 1983 through 1990, Fred Lynn and Darryl Strawberry were in the majors together. With 1,969 games against 1,583 across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Darryl Strawberry comes out ahead, it is in home runs (335 to 306), stolen bases (221 to 72), and slugging percentage (.505 to .484). At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), and Darryl Strawberry struck out more than walked (1,352 to 816). Home runs make up a larger share of Darryl Strawberry's hits: 306 of 1,960 for Fred Lynn, 335 of 1,401 for Darryl Strawberry.
Fred Lynn vs Darryl Strawberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Darryl Strawberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Lynn leads Darryl Strawberry in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Darryl Strawberry hit more home runs?
- Darryl Strawberry, with 335 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Fred Lynn's .845.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.