Chet Lemon
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1975-1990)
Chet Lemon was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1975 to 1990 for the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers, a span of 16 seasons. In 1,988 career games, he hit .273 with 1,875 hits, 215 home runs, and 884 RBI. Chet Lemon was a 3-time All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 17,435.
- 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
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 190 lb
- Died
- 5/8/2025 in Apopka, FL, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1975-09-09
- Last Game
- 1990-10-03
- Awards
- 3× All-Star
Full name: Chester Earl Lemon
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,988 | 6,868 | 973 | 1,875 | 396 | 61 | 215 | 884 | 58 | 749 | 1,024 | .273 | .355 | .442 | .797 | 17,435 |
Career AVG .273 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — +5.3% above league average.
Career OBP .355 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — +9.3% above league average.
Career SLG .442 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — +14.5% above league average.
Career OPS .797 vs. league average .711 across their career seasons — +12.1% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | CHA | AL | 9 | 35 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | .257 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1976 | CHA | AL | 132 | 451 | 46 | 111 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 38 | 13 | 28 | 65 | .246 | .255 (-4%) | .320 (-7%) | .360 (-9%) | .681 (-8%) | -584.6 |
| 1977 | CHA | AL | 150 | 553 | 99 | 151 | 38 | 4 | 19 | 67 | 8 | 52 | 88 | .273 | .264 (+3%) | .329 (+4%) | .401 (+15%) | .730 (+10%) | 1080.3 |
| 1978 | CHA | AL | 105 | 357 | 51 | 107 | 24 | 6 | 13 | 55 | 5 | 39 | 46 | .300 | .257 (+16%) | .323 (+17%) | .378 (+35%) | .702 (+26%) | 1745.5 |
| 1979 | CHA | AL | 148 | 556 | 79 | 177 | 44 | 2 | 17 | 86 | 7 | 56 | 68 | .318 | .265 (+20%) | .329 (+19%) | .397 (+25%) | .727 (+22%) | 2620.1 |
| 1980 | CHA | AL | 147 | 514 | 76 | 150 | 32 | 6 | 11 | 51 | 6 | 71 | 56 | .292 | .264 (+10%) | .326 (+19%) | .387 (+14%) | .714 (+16%) | 1948.6 |
| 1981 | CHA | AL | 94 | 328 | 50 | 99 | 23 | 6 | 9 | 50 | 5 | 33 | 48 | .302 | .255 (+18%) | .320 (+20%) | .368 (+33%) | .688 (+27%) | 1629.2 |
| 1982 | DET | AL | 125 | 436 | 75 | 116 | 20 | 1 | 19 | 52 | 1 | 56 | 69 | .266 | .261 (+2%) | .324 (+14%) | .388 (+15%) | .712 (+14%) | 1446.6 |
| 1983 | DET | AL | 145 | 491 | 78 | 125 | 21 | 5 | 24 | 69 | 0 | 54 | 70 | .255 | .260 (-2%) | .324 (+8%) | .389 (+19%) | .714 (+14%) | 1477.5 |
| 1984 | DET | AL | 141 | 509 | 77 | 146 | 34 | 6 | 20 | 76 | 5 | 51 | 83 | .287 | .259 (+10%) | .322 (+11%) | .384 (+29%) | .707 (+20%) | 2005.2 |
| 1985 | DET | AL | 145 | 517 | 69 | 137 | 28 | 4 | 18 | 68 | 0 | 45 | 93 | .265 | .257 (+3%) | .323 (+3%) | .390 (+12%) | .714 (+8%) | 835.7 |
| 1986 | DET | AL | 126 | 403 | 45 | 101 | 21 | 3 | 12 | 53 | 2 | 39 | 53 | .251 | .257 (-3%) | .325 (avg) | .395 (+3%) | .720 (+2%) | 126.6 |
| 1987 | DET | AL | 146 | 470 | 75 | 130 | 30 | 3 | 20 | 75 | 0 | 70 | 82 | .277 | .262 (+5%) | .331 (+14%) | .415 (+16%) | .746 (+15%) | 1592.8 |
| 1988 | DET | AL | 144 | 512 | 67 | 135 | 29 | 4 | 17 | 64 | 1 | 59 | 65 | .264 | .254 (+4%) | .317 (+9%) | .377 (+15%) | .695 (+12%) | 1302.6 |
| 1989 | DET | AL | 127 | 414 | 45 | 98 | 19 | 2 | 7 | 47 | 1 | 46 | 71 | .237 | .254 (-7%) | .319 (+1%) | .375 (-9%) | .694 (-4%) | -165.4 |
| 1990 | DET | AL | 104 | 322 | 39 | 83 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 32 | 3 | 48 | 61 | .258 | .257 (avg) | .324 (+11%) | .385 (-2%) | .710 (+4%) | 374.8 |
| Career · 16 seasons | 1,988 | 6,868 | 973 | 1,875 | 396 | 61 | 215 | 884 | 58 | 749 | 1,024 | .273 | — | — | — | — | 17,435 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1988 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 975 | 3243 | 479 | 880 | 119 | 437 | .271 |
| Away | 1013 | 3625 | 494 | 995 | 96 | 447 | .274 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-10-03 | DET | NYY | W | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990-10-02 | DET | NYY | L | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1990-10-01 | DET | NYY | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990-09-30 | DET | MIN | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-09-29 | DET | MIN | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-09-28 | DET | MIN | W | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-09-27 | DET | BOS | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-09-26 | DET | SEA | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990-09-23 | DET | OAK | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1990-09-22 | DET | OAK | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| OF | 1925 | 1846 | 4993 | 115 | 81 | 25 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | CHA | 3B | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | CHA | OF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | CHA | OF | 131 | 118 | 353 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| 1977 | CHA | OF | 149 | 149 | 512 | 12 | 12 | 2 |
| 1978 | CHA | OF | 95 | 94 | 284 | 8 | 5 | 2 |
| 1979 | CHA | OF | 147 | 147 | 411 | 10 | 10 | 2 |
| 1980 | CHA | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | CHA | OF | 139 | 135 | 347 | 11 | 7 | 2 |
| 1981 | CHA | OF | 93 | 94 | 240 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 1982 | DET | OF | 121 | 117 | 242 | 11 | 4 | 2 |
| 1983 | DET | OF | 145 | 140 | 406 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| 1984 | DET | OF | 140 | 135 | 427 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 1985 | DET | OF | 144 | 143 | 411 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| 1986 | DET | OF | 124 | 111 | 316 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| 1987 | DET | OF | 145 | 130 | 350 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 1988 | DET | OF | 144 | 141 | 296 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
| 1989 | DET | OF | 111 | 103 | 189 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| 1990 | DET | OF | 96 | 88 | 209 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 1 |
| Third Base | 6 |
| Left Field | 1 |
| Center Field | 1470 |
| Right Field | 458 |
| Designated Hitter | 41 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Player of the Week | Week of 1988-09-30 |
| 1979 | Player of the Week | Week of 1979-04-13 |
Salary History
Chet Lemon's recorded salaries total $4,552,855 over 6 seasons, 1985 to 1990. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Lemon's career ran from 1975 to 1990. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | DET | AL | $828,571 |
| 1989 | DET | AL | $828,571 |
| 1988 | DET | AL | $828,571 |
| 1987 | DET | AL | $698,571 |
| 1986 | DET | AL | $698,571 |
| 1985 | DET | AL | $670,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $4,552,855 | ||
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Chet Lemon (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Chet Lemon
Chet Lemon: the record in brief
The profile opens with Chet Lemon's first major league game on September 9, 1975; the last one listed came on October 3, 1990. By club, Lemon's seasons break down as the Chicago White Sox (1975 through 1981) and the Detroit Tigers (1982 to 1990). At 6'0" and 190 pounds, Lemon is listed as an outfielder. The bio says Lemon threw and hit right-handed. Lemon was born on February 12, 1955, in Jackson, MS, USA. Lemon died on May 8, 2025, in Apopka, FL, USA. The given name on file is Chester Earl Lemon.
In 1,988 games and 6,868 at bats, Lemon batted .273 with 1,875 hits, adding 215 home runs, 884 RBI, and 58 stolen bases. On-base and slugging figures of .355 and .442 give Lemon a career OPS of .797. Over the seasons Lemon played, league hitters batted .259; the .273 career figure is 5.3% above that. By OPS the gap is 12.1% above league average (.797 against .711). No season beat the 24 home runs Lemon hit in 1983.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chet Lemon
- What years did Chet Lemon play?
- Chet Lemon played in Major League Baseball from 1975 to 1990.
- Was Chet Lemon a pitcher?
- No. Chet Lemon was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Chet Lemon hit?
- Chet Lemon hit 215 career home runs with 1,875 hits.
- What teams did Chet Lemon play for?
- Chet Lemon played for 2 teams: the Chicago White Sox (1975–1981) and the Detroit Tigers (1982–1990).
- Did Chet Lemon win an MVP award?
- No. Chet Lemon did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Chet Lemon win?
- Chet Lemon was selected to 3 All-Star Games.
- What were Chet Lemon's career stats?
- In 1,988 games, Chet Lemon had 1,875 hits, 215 home runs, 884 RBI, 973 runs, and 58 stolen bases, with a .273 batting average.
- How much did Chet Lemon earn in his career?
- Chet Lemon's recorded salaries total $4,552,855 over 6 seasons, 1985 to 1990. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Lemon's career ran from 1975 to 1990. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
- What was Chet Lemon's salary?
- Chet Lemon's last recorded salary was $828,571, in 1990. His highest recorded salary was $828,571, in 1988, and his lowest was $670,000, in 1985. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1990.
- What position did Chet Lemon play?
- Chet Lemon played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Chet Lemon and how much did he weigh?
- Chet Lemon was listed at 6 feet and 190 pounds.
- How many home runs did Chet Lemon hit each season?
- Chet Lemon's home runs by season: 0 in 1975, 4 in 1976, 19 in 1977, 13 in 1978, 17 in 1979, 11 in 1980, 9 in 1981, 19 in 1982, 24 in 1983, 20 in 1984, 18 in 1985, 12 in 1986, 20 in 1987, 17 in 1988, 7 in 1989, and 5 in 1990. His most in one season was 24, in 1983.
- What was Chet Lemon's career batting average?
- Chet Lemon batted .273 over his career, with 1,875 hits in 6,868 at bats.
- How many RBI did Chet Lemon have?
- Chet Lemon drove in 884 runs in his career.