Lynch’s outstanding pinch hitting (19-for-47, .404) was a major factor in the 1961 Reds’ surprising NL pennant. Overall, he had career-high averages of .315 (batting) and .624 (slugging) for the season, with 13 HR and 50 RBI in only 181 at-bats. When he retired, the poor-fielding outfielder ranked first all-time in pinch HR (18) and second in pinch hits (116) and was tied for first in pinch at-bats (447). The lefthanded-hitting Lynch led the NL in pinch hits twice (19 in both 1960 and 1961).
Lynch joined the Reds after missing most of the 1956 season due to illness. With Pittsburgh, he had been a part-time outfielder and occasional catcher, but not a very successful pinch hitter (9-for-49, .184, over three seasons). He was a semi-regular outfielder in 1958 and ’59, reaching bests of 17 HR (1959, 379 at-bats) and 68 RBI (1958, 420 at-bats). He returned to the Pirates in mid-1963.
