Hank Aaron vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Hank Aaron played 1954–1976 as a hitter; Al Kaline played 1953–1974 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
Hank Aaron (1954–1976) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — both debuted in the 1950s. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Hank Aaron, in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Aaron, with 755 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Aaron, with .305 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Al Kaline's 3,007.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Al Kaline's 1,583.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Al Kaline's 45,087.
Hank Aaron
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Al Kaline. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Aaron | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,298 | 2,834 |
| At-Bats not scored | 12,364 | 10,116 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,622 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 3,007 |
| Doubles | Leads: 624 | 498 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 75 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 399 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,583 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,402 | 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .297 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .480 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .855 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Al Kaline 78,640 to 45,087 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,419 PIV per season to 2,049, across 23 seasons to 22. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Hank Aaron — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Hank Aaron leads 11 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Al Kaline leads 1: on-base percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Aaron. PIV agrees: Hank Aaron grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Aaron and Al Kaline careers compare
From 1954 through 1974, Hank Aaron and Al Kaline were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 3,298 games for Hank Aaron and 2,834 for Al Kaline across 23 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Al Kaline comes out ahead, it is in on-base percentage (.376 to .374). Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts); Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Hank Aaron's hits: 755 of 3,771 for Hank Aaron, 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline.
Hank Aaron vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Al Kaline in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Aaron, with .305 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Al Kaline's 3,007.