1969–1989 · 3B

Darrell Evans

6' 2", 200 lbs·Lived to 79·Bats L / Throws R

All-Star

The Almanac's Take

Evans became the first player in history to hit 40 home runs in both leagues, accomplishing the feat a decade apart with Atlanta in 1973 and Detroit in 1985. That longevity tells the real story — he played 21 seasons and retired at age 42, accumulating 414 home runs despite never hitting more than 41 in any single season.

His .248 career average looks pedestrian, but Evans understood the value of patience before sabermetrics made it fashionable. That approach powered an OPS+ of 111 across more than two decades, meaning he was consistently above-average despite the modest batting average. The peak came in 1973 when he posted a .959 OPS for Atlanta.

Evans represents the prototype of the modern three-true-outcomes hitter, decades ahead of his time. He walked more than he struck out for his career and proved that steady power production trumps flashy peak seasons when building a Hall of Fame-caliber resume.

Career Highs

.959

Best OPS · 1973

Most HR · 1973

104

Most RBI · 1973

.281

Best AVG · 1973

Career Arc · OPS

21 seasons

Statistical Comps

Juan Soto

99%

2023 season

ISO .245 · K% 18.2 · BB% 18.7 · HR% 5.0

Alex Bregman

99%

2022 season

ISO .195 · K% 11.7 · BB% 13.3 · HR% 3.5

Mookie Betts

99%

2023 season

ISO .272 · K% 15.4 · BB% 13.9 · HR% 5.6

Career · Batting

21 seasons

Year	Team	G	AB	HR	RBI	AVG	OPS	OPS+
1969	ATL	12	26	0	1	.231	.481	—
1970	ATL	12	44	0	9	.318	.809	114
1971	ATL	89	260	12	38	.242	.768	113
1972	ATL	125	418	19	71	.254	.803	121
1973	ATL	161	595	41	104	.281	.959	136
1974	ATL	160	571	25	79	.240	.800	115
1975	ATL	156	567	22	73	.243	.766	109
1976	SF	136	396	11	46	.205	.641	94
1977	SF	144	461	17	72	.254	.768	105
1978	SF	159	547	20	78	.243	.764	109
1979	SF	160	562	17	70	.253	.748	103
1980	SF	154	556	20	78	.264	.772	108
1981	SF	102	357	12	48	.258	.773	112
1982	SF	141	465	16	61	.256	.779	109
1983	SF	142	523	30	82	.277	.894	125
1984	DET	131	401	16	63	.232	.737	104
1985	DET	151	505	40	94	.248	.875	123
1986	DET	151	507	29	85	.241	.798	111
1987	DET	150	499	34	99	.257	.880	118
1988	DET	144	437	22	64	.208	.717	103
1989	ATL	107	276	11	39	.207	.658	95
Career		2687	8973	414	1354	.248	—	—

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