Fred Lynn vs Jim Wynn: 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; Jim Wynn played 1963–1977 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 Jim Wynn (1963–1977) — 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; Jim Wynn finished with 1,665 hits and 291 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 Jim Wynn's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Jim Wynn's .802.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred Lynn, with .283 to Jim Wynn's .250.
- Who had more hits? Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Jim Wynn's 1,665.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred Lynn, with 1,111 to Jim Wynn's 964.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Wynn, with 26,023 career PIV to Fred Lynn's 25,648.
- Who won more championships? Jim Wynn, with 1 World Series title to Fred Lynn's 0.
Fred Lynn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Jim Wynn. 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 | Jim Wynn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,969 | 1,920 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,925 | 6,653 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 1,105 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,960 | 1,665 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 285 |
| Triples | Leads: 43 | 39 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 306 | 291 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,111 | 964 |
| Walks | 857 | Leads: 1,224 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,427 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 225 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .283 | .250 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .366 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .436 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .802 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Wynn edges Fred Lynn 26,023 to 25,648 — driven by per-season impact — 1,626 PIV per season to 1,425 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Wynn played 16 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
Jim Wynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred Lynn leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Jim Wynn owns runs, stolen bases, 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 Jim Wynn ahead, which means Fred Lynn's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred Lynn and Jim Wynn careers compare
The careers of Fred Lynn (1974–1990) and Jim Wynn (1963–1977) overlapped from 1974 to 1977, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,969 games for Fred Lynn and 1,920 for Jim Wynn across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jim Wynn comes out ahead, it is in runs (1,105 to 1,063), walks (1,224 to 857), and stolen bases (225 to 72). At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), and Jim Wynn struck out more than walked (1,427 to 1,224). Jim Wynn was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Fred Lynn vs Jim Wynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Jim Wynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred Lynn leads Jim Wynn in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Jim Wynn hit more home runs?
- Fred Lynn, with 306 to Jim Wynn's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Jim Wynn's .802.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred Lynn, with .283 to Jim Wynn's .250.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred Lynn, with 1,960 to Jim Wynn's 1,665.