Early career Wynn attended
Taft High School. After high school, the
Cincinnati Reds signed him as an amateur free agent in 1962. He played that season with the
Tampa Tarpons in the
Florida State League. He played mostly at
third base, batting .290 with 14 home runs.
Houston Astros (1963–1973) After the 1962 season, the Houston Colt .45s selected Wynn in the 1962 first-year minor league player draft. Wynn began the 1963 season with the Double-A
San Antonio Bullets in the
Texas League, and while there split his time between
shortstop and third base while batting .288 with 16 home runs in 78 games. He was promoted to the major leagues in July, and made his major league debut on July 10. Starting at shortstop, he went 1-for-4 with a
stolen base. He split his time during the rest of that initial season between shortstop and the outfield, most often playing
left field. He finished the season having played in 70 games, having 61 hits, four home runs, 27 runs batted in, four stolen bases and a .244 batting average. Having struggled defensively at shortstop, Wynn was converted to a full-time outfielder in 1964. He opened the season as the Colt .45s starting center fielder, but was sent back to the minor leagues in June, with
Mike White taking over. He was called up in September, and finished the season starting in center field. He ended the season having played 67 games, with 49 hits, five home runs, 18 runs batted in, five stolen bases, and a .224 batting average. He played his first full season the following year, playing in 157 games; accordingly, he had 155 hits, 22 home runs, 73 runs batted in, 43 stolen bases and a .275 batting average and a .371
on-base percentage. His 1966 season ended abruptly after 105 games after breaking his left arm crashing into the outfield wall at
Connie Mack Stadium chasing down a
Dick Allen fly ball resulting in a
game-winning,
inside-the-park home run for Allen and the
Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the 10th inning on August 1, 1966. He had 107 hits, 18 home runs, 62 runs batted in, 13 stolen bases, a .256 batting average and .321 on-base percentage. His 1967 season was a return to form, as he played in 158 games, having 148 hits, 37 home runs (a career high), 107 runs batted in, 16 stolen bases, a .249 batting average and a .331 on-base percentage, was named to his first ever
All-Star Game and finished 11th in the MVP voting, being edged out by
Hank Aaron (and his 39 home runs) in the
home run chase for the season in the final days of the season; it has been speculated Wynn may have lost a substantial number of
home runs to the lengthy fences in the
Astrodome, while Aaron played in the more homer-friendly
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium. Aaron himself commented he considered Wynn the season's home run champion. Perhaps Wynn's most famous home run came on June 10 of the 1967 season at
Crosley Field. The shot, which came in the eighth inning of the Astros' 8–3 loss to the
Cincinnati Reds, cleared the 58-foot scoreboard in left-center field and landed on
Interstate 75 outside the stadium. Five days later, Wynn became the first Houston batter to hit three home runs in one game as his Astros defeated the
San Francisco Giants 6–2 at the Astrodome. In the first game of a
doubleheader against the
Pittsburgh Pirates one month later, on July 23, Wynn hit another tape measure home run, the ball clearing
Forbes Field's center-field wall from home plate. The following season, he played in 156 games while having 146 hits, 85 runs, 26 home runs, 67 runs batted in, 11 stolen bases with a .269 batting average and a .376 on-base percentage, although he walked 90 times and struck out 131 times. His 1969 season had its highs and lows, as he played in 149 games while having 133 hits, 113 runs, 33 home runs, 87 runs batted in, 23 stolen bases, 148 walks (leading the major leagues) for a .269 batting average and a .436 on-base percentage, although he struck out 142 times. He successfully got on base at least once in 52 straight games from June 4 to August 3; the mark was tied by
Greg Gross six years later, which still stands as a franchise record. Wynn finished 15th in the MVP balloting. The following year, he played in 157 games while having 156 hits, 82 runs, 27 home runs, 88 runs batted in, 24 stolen bases, 106 walks, 96 strike outs, and a .282 batting average with a .394 on-base percentage. In the 1971 season, he played in 123 games (his least since 1966), having 82 hits, 38 runs, seven home runs, 45 runs batted in, 10 stolen bases, 56 walks, 63 strike outs, with a .203 batting average and .302 on-base percentage. On a positive note, he became the first Astro to record 1,000 hits during the season. He returned to form the following season, playing in 145 games while having 148 hits, 117 runs, 24 home runs, 90 runs batted in, 17 stolen bases, 103 walks, 99 strikeouts, and a .273 batting average and a .389 on-base percentage. The 1973 season was his final one with the Astros. He played in 139 games, having 106 hits, 90 runs, 20 home runs, 55 runs batted in, 14 stolen bases, 91 walks, 102 strikeouts with a .220 batting average and a .347 on-base percentage.
Los Angeles Dodgers (1974–1975) , 2010 Wynn was traded from the
Astros to the
Los Angeles Dodgers for
Claude Osteen and minor-league right-handed pitcher David Culpepper at the
Winter Meetings on December 6, 1973. In his first season with the Dodgers, he played in 150 games, having 145 hits, 104 runs, 32 home runs, 108 runs batted in (a career high), 18 stolen bases, 108 walks, 104 strikeouts, with a .271 batting average and a .387 on-base percentage. He was named to the
All-Star Game that season, while finishing 5th in the MVP balloting and being awarded by The Sporting News with the Comeback Player of the Year Award in helping the Dodgers win the
National League pennant. In the 1974 NLCS, he had just two hits in 10 at-bats, although he walked nine times and had two runs batted in and scored four runs while they beat the
Pittsburgh Pirates in four games. In the
1974 World Series, he went 3-for-16 while having two runs batted in and his only postseason home run was off
Rollie Fingers in the 9th inning of Game 1 in a losing cause. Wynn started 1975 well, although a bad shoulder injury limited his effectiveness at the plate and making throws from center field, thus he was moved to left field. In his second (and last season) with the
Dodgers, he played in 130 games, having 102 hits, 80 runs, 18 home runs, 58 runs batted in, seven stolen bases, 110 walks, 77 strikeouts with a .248 batting average and .403 on-base percentage. He was named to the
All-Star Game, his third and final selection. Wynn homered in the 2nd inning of the All-Star Game that year, leading the National League to a 6-3 victory.
Atlanta Braves (1976) He was traded along with
Jerry Royster,
Tom Paciorek and
Lee Lacy from the Dodgers to the
Atlanta Braves for
Dusty Baker and
Ed Goodson on November 17, 1975. In his only season with the Braves, Wynn played in 148 games, having 93 hits, 75 runs, 17 home runs, 66 runs batted in, 16 stolen bases, 127 walks (leading the major leagues), 111 strikeouts, a .207 batting average and a .377 on-base percentage.
New York Yankees / Milwaukee Brewers (1977) On November 30, he was purchased by the
New York Yankees. He was released by the Yankees on July 14, then was signed as a free agent by the
Milwaukee Brewers 12 days later. He played in 30 games for the Yankees and 36 for the Brewers, for a total of 66 games, garnering 34 total hits, one home run, 13 runs batted in, four stolen bases, 32 walks, 47 strikeouts, with a .175 batting average and a .289 on-base percentage. On October 28, he was released by the Brewers.
Career statistics In 1,920 games over 15 seasons, Wynn had 8,011
plate appearances and compiled a .250
batting average (1,665-for-6,653) with 1,105
runs, 285
doubles, 39
triples, 291
home runs, 964
RBI, 225
stolen bases, 1,224
base on balls, 1,427
strikeouts, .366
on-base percentage and .436
slugging percentage. Defensively, he posted a career .980
fielding percentage. Among players with a batting average of .250 or lower, he has the third highest wins above replacement (WAR) at 55.8, with only
Graig Nettles and
Darrell Evans having a higher WAR. He also had eight seasons with an
Adjusted OPS+ of 130 (100 is considered league average) eight times. His 1,291 hits and 223 home runs with the Astros were franchise records when he was traded away from the team. In the five decades since his last game with Houston, seven players have passed him in hits but only
Jeff Bagwell,
Lance Berkman,
Craig Biggio, and
Jose Altuve have passed him in home runs. ==Following retirement ==