Fred Lynn vs Andy Van Slyke: Career Stats Comparison
Fred Lynn 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; Andy Van Slyke played 1983–1995 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 Andy Van Slyke (1983–1995) — 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; Andy Van Slyke finished with 1,562 hits and 164 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 Andy Van Slyke's 164.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Andy Van Slyke's .792.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Andy Van Slyke's .274.
- Who had more hits? Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Andy Van Slyke's 1,562.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Andy Van Slyke's 792.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Andy Van Slyke's 11,940.
Fred Lynn
Andy Van Slyke
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Andy Van Slyke. 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 | Andy Van Slyke |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,969 | 1,658 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,925 | 5,711 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,063 | 835 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,960 | 1,562 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 293 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 91 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 306 | 164 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,111 | 792 |
| Walks | Leads: 857 | 667 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,063 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 245 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .283 | .274 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .349 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .443 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .792 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn outpaces Andy Van Slyke 25,648 to 11,940 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,425 PIV per season to 853, across 18 seasons to 14. 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
Andy Van Slyke — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Andy Van Slyke owns stolen bases. 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 Andy Van Slyke careers compare
The careers of Fred Lynn (1974–1990) and Andy Van Slyke (1983–1995) overlapped from 1983 to 1990, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,969 games for Fred Lynn and 1,658 for Andy Van Slyke across 18 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Andy Van Slyke's edges on the table are triples (91 to 43) and stolen bases (245 to 72). At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), and Andy Van Slyke struck out more than walked (1,063 to 667).
Fred Lynn vs Andy Van Slyke: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Andy Van Slyke?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Lynn leads Andy Van Slyke in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Andy Van Slyke hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Andy Van Slyke's 164.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Andy Van Slyke's .792.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Andy Van Slyke's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Andy Van Slyke's 1,562.